Elon Musk replies to question about if the Tesla Roadster will be street-legal after reveal
Published on Oct 21, 2026 at 6:48 AM (UTC-4)
by Ben Thompson
Last updated on Oct 21, 2026 at 6:48 AM (UTC-4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
Elon Musk was asked the question that has been on everyone’s minds – is the new Tesla Roadster street-legal?
The CEO was on stage at a launch event when an audience member yelled out a question about its legality.
Given its headline-grabbing status as a flying car, it was a valid point to raise.
Musk had to think on his feet to come up with a quick answer.
The Tesla Roadster has finally been revealed
It’d been a long time coming, and it still managed to take everyone by surprise.
There’s a whole lot of difference to what was promised back in 2017, and still some things we don’t know about it.
But at any rate, the big reveal has generated a lot of conversation online.
Primarily, this conversation has centered around the fact that the ‘Rocket’ variant of the car is reportedly capable of flying.
Yeah, a flying car got a lot of people talking, tear out the front page, we know.
But the question of whether this car would actually be street-legal has been on a lot of people’s minds.
And now somebody has directly asked Elon Musk himself.
Related
What Elon Musk said when asked about whether the Roadster is street-legal
Musk was on stage giving a presentation about the Roadster, when the all-important question was shouted out from the crowd.
“Will it be street legal?” the audience member asked.
Barely missing a beat, Musk responded with a tongue-in-cheek remark.
“Yeah, yeah, depends on your street […] It will be a buyable car,” the CEO responded.
🔥 LMAO! Elon Musk had the PERFECT answer after being asked whether or not his new 0.81 second 0-60mph Tesla Roadster is street legal @elonmusk: “Uhhh.. YEAAAH. Depends on your street, but uhhh…” 🤣 “But it’ll be a BUYABLE car” 😂 https://t.co/UbCi8jgqTx
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) October 16, 2026
So as you can tell, it’s not a strictly straight answer.
But at any rate, people have not hesitated to deliver their own verdicts on the matter.
“I’m not sure every state is going to allow a driver in the middle of traffic to suddenly elevate himself and fly,” David Vladeck, a Georgetown Law professor and former director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, told Yahoo! Autos.
“There is going to be a long process to let anything like that on a road.”
Our Back To The Future fantasy might be put on ice for the foreseeable future.
When can we expect to see the Tesla Roadster roll out?
While deposits are already being cashed now, production on the Roadster isn’t scheduled to begin until 2028.
So it’ll be a little while longer until we see flying cars taking to the skies.
Leaving aside Musk’s quip, its street-legal status remains a question mark floating over the project.
Ben joined Supercar Blondie in February 2025 after being published by international organizations including LADbible, The Sun, the New York Post, and the Daily Mail. He covers supercars, rare and collectible vehicles, aviation, luxury assets, and the fascinating people behind them. His reporting has explored everything from seven-figure supercars and historic Ferrari collections to unusual aircraft adventures and extraordinary automotive discoveries from around the world. Ben has also gained first-hand insight into vehicle craftsmanship and customization, including visiting specialist workshops to see bespoke vehicles up close.
