Home » The Tesla Roadster Getting To 60 In One Second With Rockets May Be Possible But What The Hell Will You Do With It

The Tesla Roadster Getting To 60 In One Second With Rockets May Be Possible But What The Hell Will You Do With It

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The still-upcoming Tesla Roadster is back in the news, thanks to a hundredth of a second of improved (and speculated) 0-60 times and an announcement that it’ll be delayed, yet again. Via a series of tweets, reclusive and little-known Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced he had “radically increased the design goals for the new Tesla Roadster,” and the zero to 60 mph time would be less than one second, and also assured anyone within X range that the Roadster, first announced in 2017, would be revealed at the end of this year and “aiming to ship” in 2025. Based on past history of Elon predictions, I’m not sure I’d wager any important organs on any of those statements, but even if we assume everything that’s been said and so animatedly discussed comes true – especially the 0-60 in under one second part – I can’t help but wonder if Elon has really thought through what the hell anyone is going to do with that.

First, let’s recap the tweetings, so we’re all on the same page:

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Who knows exactly what this means? It could mean almost anything. Really, the only definite thing I can imagine is the frustration of the hardworking designers and engineers who have been working on the next-generation of Tesla Roadster for the past seven years seeing that the scope of their project has changed “radically.” They may not even be able to call it a car, I heard!

Then we get to the stuff everyone is talking about:

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Now, I definitely agree with the “that is the least interesting part” but everyone’s trousers are all tangled and damp at this bold claim of going from a sleepy, inert immobility to a mile every minute in less time than it takes to show 24 frames of a movie, so let’s dig in. First, it’s worth noting that this claim is only 0.01 seconds quicker than the claim of the new Roadster getting from 0-60 in 1.1 seconds, made back in mid-2021.

The method for achieving this sort of near chameleon-tongue-levels of acceleration is not from a conventional automotive drivetrain based on spinning tires against pavement, but from something more exotic:

Yes, the “SpaceX option package,” which is described as around 10 rocket thrusters mounted on the car. Further clarification revealed the rockets to be cold gas thrusters, like the sort often used for reaction control system (RCS) thrusters on spaceships. Essentially, jets of compressed nitrogen or air (which is about 80% nitrogen as it is).

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Generalidea1

I did the math for the 1.1-seconds claims back then – and by that I mean I got someone much smarter than me to do the math, physicist Stephen Granade. Here’s some of what he told me back then:

Another word for “thrust” is “force,” and force is equal to mass times acceleration. I’ll assume the Roadster speeds up at a constant acceleration, which probably isn’t true but is close enough for my purposes. To get to 60 MPH in 1.1 seconds, the car needs an acceleration of a touch over 24 meters per second squared, or nearly 2.5 g. Going back to high school physics, we know the force required will be that acceleration times the car’s mass. The battery pack may be around 800 kg, so I’ll assume that the car will be around 1600 kg. That means the car needs nearly 39,000 newtons of thrust to reach that speed.

So, if we adapt the 1.1 seconds-to-60 numbers to the new 1-second-or-less to 60, we are now dealing with about 2.75-ish g instead of 2.5, and we get to about 43,000 newtons of thrust. Which is a lot! That’s about half the amount of thrust the main engine of the Apollo Service module made, and that was enough to send the damn thing into lunar orbit from Earth orbit. We can subtract the acceleration force provided by the electric drivetrain as well, which gives about 20,000 newtons of force, leaving, oh, 23,000 newtons for the thrusters to cover to get to that magic under one second mark.

And keep in mind, to do this, those thrusters will need to be aimed rearward as they expel close to 30 kilograms of air at around 1,500 mph. Doing this in traffic, if you’re racing for pinks or something, may not be such a polite thing to do to the people behind you.

Schematic

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Elon also noted that all the ultra high-pressure air needed for these thrusters would be stored in a pressure vessel SpaceX calls a COPV (Composite-Overwrapped Pressure Vessel),  which holds gases at a pressure of 6,000 psi. When Stephen did the math, he found that a 150 liter tank could work for this and still be compact enough to fit in the area of the Roadster normally used for the small back seats. It would, however, take about four hours to replenish after use with an on-board compressor, and you’d have to do that after pretty much every single zero-to-60-in-one-second launch.

All of this is just to say that I think, based on the analysis from our physics expert, that it may be technically possible, using cold gas thrusters, for the Roadster to hit the goal of 0-60 in under one second.

But that brings up the bigger question: who gives a shit?

Yes, that’s right, who gives a shit about zero to 60 in under a second? It’s useless! And I don’t even mean that like a “fast cars are useless” way, because I don’t believe that’s true. Fast cars are a lot of fun, and fun is useful in all sorts of complex and subtle ways. It’s more that this kind of fast is useless because it is.

A car that goes 0-60 in under one second is the sort of thing that is appealing to a kid who just got transferred to a new middle school and wants some way to impress the other kids because they’re understandably scared and insecure. It’s the sort of thing that sounds cool if you don’t really like driving, because if you really like driving you’d probably know that one second of acceleration thrill isn’t that satisfying, and then you’re there, doing 60 in a straight line to somewhere.

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What are you really going to do with something like this? If this feat of speed requires high-speed gases shooting out behind your car, it’s not like you can just kick it on anywhere you’re driving – or at least not likely you can do so without some serious metaphorical blowback because of all the literal blowback. Will using it be legal? Will you have to go to a dragstrip to use it? Are you okay going to a dragstrip to use it and then potentially having to wait four hours to re-compress all the air?

Are you qualified to handle a car that accelerates that fast? I know we all like to think we are, but I’ve been a passenger in a rallycross car that launches to 60 in 2.1 seconds, and that feels like madness. The first time I piloted an actual dragster, which didn’t accelerate nearly as quickly as what we’re talking about here, I almost crashed into a big heap of gravel, like an idiot. And even for people less idiotic than I am, being behind the wheel of something that hits 60 mph that quickly is no joke!

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If and when these things start appearing on public roads, how many attempts to show off the rocket car will end with a car half-embedded in an Arby’s drive-through as the dazed driver, surrounded by deflated airbags and sitting in urine-soaked pants, wonders what the hell just happened? I know people have given histrionic warnings about fast cars in the hands of idiots before, and we’ve all seen the videos of the carnage as people peel out of Cars and Coffee meetups, spinning out in machines with far more power than they know what to do with.

There’s a reason car shows have been banning certain cars, after all. And those are cars that still move via friction of wheels on the ground; when you introduce a whole new method of locomotion, one at least in part not dependent on the surface to gain speed, you may have the recipe for exciting chaos.

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Think about that for a minute; surfaces have always sort of self-managed when it comes to speed and braking. If you’re on loose gravel or ice or other low-friction surfaces, it’s very hard to stop but it’s also very hard to get moving. Wheels spin, noise and smoke happen, but not so much actual motion. When you introduce rocket engines, though, you can get moving very fast over pretty much anything, and unless there’s another set of retrorockets facing the opposite end of the car, there’s not a great way to stop. Let’s say someone takes a SpaceX-enabled Roadster onto a wet field and punches the big red launch button; off the Roadster goes, maybe not hitting <1 second to 60 because the wheels can’t get a grip, but still going fast. How will it stop? Locked wheels on wet grass just make the thing a sled.

The tweet from 2018 does mention braking and cornering, too, so perhaps there will be retrorockets and other reaction control thrusters.

Maybe I’m needlessly worrying. Maybe there will be all sorts of safeguards in place, and it’ll be fine. But it’ll still be stupid. This won’t make the car better on a track or more engaging to drive. It’s not like rockets couldn’t do that, either – back in 2012 I proposed using RCS thrusters on a car to make handling more responsive and engaging, which could be similar to what Elon is planning as well? Who knows.

2012 Idea

But no, that’s not what’s being discussed. Just ultra-fast straight-line (ideally) launches and references to flying, which, I’m about certain, this thing won’t.

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I don’t want to be a pessimist, though. Elon himself said the 0-60 in under a second is “the least interesting part,” and that’s the part I hope is true. Because all the hype right now centers around this claim of quickness, and I think the truth is that there is just nothing less interesting or useful than a car that can get to 60 so fast, using such exotic means, that there’s really absolutely nowhere you could actually do anything with it.

This isn’t Tesla-bashing: I believe that once cars are capable of feats of performance so far removed from anyone’s actual ability to enjoy them, then that car stops mattering. I feel the same way about the Bugatti Veyron, for example. Sure, that car was an engineering marvel that could reach 250 mph (on the right devastatingly expensive tires) but who the hell is able to actually do that? Even the vast, vast majority people who actually own Veyrons haven’t ever driven them like that, because who has the skills or required space or willingness to dump an assload more money into the car afterwards, like you have to. It’s useless. It may as well not exist.

I’m eager to hear what the more interesting parts about this Roadster may be. I’m an eternal and determined and often woefully misguided optimist, so I’m going to reserve a few cans of hope that whatever it is, it’ll be genuinely engaging and exciting. Because one second of a thrilling merge on an on-ramp just isn’t going to cut it.

 

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Dave Beth
Dave Beth
7 months ago

I don’t think I’ve ever cared one whit about 0-60 times. This doesn’t change that.

R53forfun
R53forfun
7 months ago
Reply to  Dave Beth

100%. I’m back on the Torchinsky bandwagon with this take.

Jesus Chrysler drives a Dodge
Jesus Chrysler drives a Dodge
7 months ago

No, I’m sure the MOST interesting part will be the conjecture molded obscurium used for the drive unit’s perturbation dampers. Yeah, the stans will be all over that.

Last edited 7 months ago by Jesus Chrysler drives a Dodge
Elons Backdoor Musk
Elons Backdoor Musk
7 months ago

I personally guarantee it will cure baldness, ED, diabetes, cancer and typhoid!

Why does the press believe anything he says?

R53forfun
R53forfun
7 months ago

And backdoor musk?

Defenestrator
Defenestrator
7 months ago

I think what he said is quite likely accurate. He’s set a design goal of 0-60 in under 1s. Unfortunately for him, I’ve decided to make a car and set a design goal of 100mph in 1s. It will of course also fly and cost $20,000. I have no capital, employees, or idea how to accomplish that, but.. design goal!

Last edited 7 months ago by Defenestrator
Mark E. Post
Mark E. Post
7 months ago

But how fast will it be going when it’s ramping up into the back of The Foundation for Law and Government semi?

Urban Runabout
Urban Runabout
7 months ago

Elon sells more vaporware (and lives on the interest) than any other automotive CEO.
And the automotive media eats it up.
Because clicks.

Perhaps some former Fight Club member with an adderall habit who has transitioned to Father/Influencer/DudeTube star will hang a hard left with it in the middle of Death Valley and turn it into Glass Valley?

And some Narcissistic Billionaire will park to on top of his Glass Onion.

Last edited 7 months ago by Urban Runabout
Paul E
Paul E
7 months ago

What does one do with it? It’d make one heck of a bracket racing whip. Consistent *hard* launches, plenty of juice for 1/8 or 1/4 mile racing, dial the regen for hard decel past the finish line. It’d probably look silly on drag slicks, but would also be quite effective.

Lockleaf
Lockleaf
7 months ago

steep hill + rocket boosters = better jump than that San Francisco Tesla that hit a subaru

Mechjaz
Mechjaz
7 months ago
Reply to  Lockleaf

In the original Driver game, you could edit an .ini to set the top speed of any car to whatever you wanted. I’d find hills in San Francisco, hit them at 298mph, and launch into normally inaccessible parts of the map. What a game.

Idle Sentiments
Idle Sentiments
7 months ago

“A car that goes 0-60 in under one second is the sort of thing that is appealing to a kid who just got transferred to a new middle school and wants some way to impress the other kids because they’re understandably scared and insecure.“

Veiled shots fired.

Last edited 7 months ago by Idle Sentiments
Cool Dave
Cool Dave
7 months ago

This is the typical Tesla/Musk bullsh*t. We all know the cycle.. over promise, under deliver, weird fans will defend whatever they put out no matter how far it is from what was promised.

How about someone work on making an affordable new car for common people? Like for real. Instead of all this stupid pissing contest bragging rights stuff?

Aaron
Aaron
7 months ago
Reply to  Cool Dave

How about someone work on making an affordable new car for common people?

But that’s boring and hard. Not really something a narcissistic ketamine addict with zero attention span is well suited to focus on.

My Goat Ate My Homework
My Goat Ate My Homework
7 months ago

This isn’t new, but if you want to be excited by something rocket powered this is always fun to watch.

https://youtu.be/gAKekhmTRaY?si=7LcH3Pbvj2Zr3ejJ

A real enthusiast. That’s just some wholesome awesomeness.

TOSSABL
TOSSABL
7 months ago

A genuinely joyful mad scientist type: pipes glowing almost white-hot—and he’s got a gleeful grin 🙂

Mike Harrell
Mike Harrell
7 months ago

“THE GENERAL IDEA, BUT FRENCHER”

Well, yeah, as it stands the rocket portion is clearly Syldavian.

David Escargot
David Escargot
7 months ago
Reply to  Mike Harrell

Came here for this… leaving satisfied… Tintin is great

OttosPhotos
OttosPhotos
7 months ago
Reply to  David Escargot

Until you read “Tintin the Congo”.

David Escargot
David Escargot
7 months ago
Reply to  OttosPhotos

Thats a very valid point… the concept of Tintin as an adult is entertaining due to the level of ridiculousness but it does have a very big stain there… it is however a product of its time… our job is not to change or erase history, but to make sure we learn from it and not repeat it

Double Wide Harvey Park
Double Wide Harvey Park
7 months ago
Reply to  OttosPhotos

The first few books are “products of their time” as a shortcut to describe uninformed, mean and racist stereotypes.

When you put them in the context of what the Belgian king did to the African people he colonized, it takes on an extra layer of horribleness.

Last edited 7 months ago by Double Wide Harvey Park
Double Wide Harvey Park
Double Wide Harvey Park
7 months ago
Reply to  Mike Harrell

Well done

Vic Vinegar
Vic Vinegar
7 months ago

How about 400 miles of ranges, recharge in 5 minutes, world class handling, and 0-60 in 6 seconds? I’ll take that over 1 second 0-60s and 200+ mph top speeds that I’ll never use.

Oh and for $40k.

D M
D M
7 months ago
Reply to  Vic Vinegar

EXACTLY. Even the slowest Tesla goes 0-60 in under 6 seconds. That’s plenty fast for a car, particularly if it handles well. Have your engineers concentrate on expanding range and reducing charge time, you megalomaniacal prick. No sane person wants to go 0-60 in under a second anywhere but a track.

Collegiate Autodidact
Collegiate Autodidact
7 months ago

This might already have been posted elsewhere on the Autopian in the comments but here’s Tom Scott’s video of what it’s like to go 0-62 (100 kmh) in under 1 second:
https://youtu.be/XQIu5tZ0vbQ?si=YlT0jjwJhyfujQvt

Cam.man67
Cam.man67
7 months ago

Yawn. On the other hand, where do I sign up for the rocket-mounted-Renault?

Mike F.
Mike F.
7 months ago

What will you do with it? If you’re smart, you’ll brag about it and nothing else.

Cool Dave
Cool Dave
7 months ago
Reply to  Mike F.

Stupid people will do exactly the same thing though..

Lockleaf
Lockleaf
7 months ago
Reply to  Cool Dave

i think he means stupid people will brag and then actually use it. smart people will be smart enough to stop at bragging. but I argue smart people wouldn’t buy it in the first place.

Mike F.
Mike F.
7 months ago
Reply to  Lockleaf

Exactly. But the point about smart people not buying it in the first place is well made.

DialMforMiata
DialMforMiata
7 months ago

The thought of young Sawyer there being able to rocket from 0-60 in less than a second should terrify us all.

Harmanx
Harmanx
7 months ago

0-60 in under a second may cause debilitating brain aneurisms

Data
Data
7 months ago
Reply to  Harmanx

That’s why you have The Juice from The Expanse so your brain doesn’t explode.

StillNotATony
StillNotATony
7 months ago
Reply to  Data

“Hitch up your tits! I’m gonna peel the paint!”

Jack Beckman
Jack Beckman
7 months ago
Reply to  Harmanx

I think anyone buying this to try it already has one.

Chartreuse Bison
Chartreuse Bison
7 months ago
Reply to  Harmanx

Without safety gear maybe. Top-fuel gets to 100mph in under a second regularly

Berkshire
Berkshire
7 months ago

The real question the internet should be asking is whether or not this magical rocket car will launch 0-60 in one second when placed on a giant treadmill.

Nic Periton
Nic Periton
7 months ago

For no other reason than rocket car and being old;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jp_0oMQnhlo&t=7s

TOSSABL
TOSSABL
7 months ago
Reply to  Nic Periton

Nopenopenope!

-and it does make you wonder what it would be like to be behind one of these Roadsters at a light when the driver decides to give it all the beans

Hangover Grenade
Hangover Grenade
7 months ago

Available in 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029….

Canopysaurus
Canopysaurus
7 months ago

What am I gonna do with it? Man, I’m finally gonna catch that fucking Roadrunner! As soon as I unpack it from that big ACME box, I’m gonna light the fires, burn some tires and rundown that prairie chicken. Hopefully, no one will paint a tunnel entrance on a canyon wall ,,,

Wile E. Coyote

Last edited 7 months ago by Canopysaurus
My Goat Ate My Homework
My Goat Ate My Homework
7 months ago

Will it have a V12?

10001010
10001010
7 months ago

More likely 48V

Chronometric
Chronometric
7 months ago

Elon knows that if he talks about Rocket Mode he gets free publicity. Then if he releases Rocket Mode, all the attention hoars will buy one and make a silly video. Autopian will probably even link to it. Free publicity. Then someone will mess it up and crash. More free publicity. The hand-wringers will weigh in. More publicity. See, it is already working.

And here I am posting about it. We can’t help ourselves and he plays us like a fiddle.

Jack Trade
Jack Trade
7 months ago
Reply to  Chronometric

How has Tesla not yet promised to somehow incorporate that blowtorch thing Musk made/went on about a number of years back?

Chronometric
Chronometric
7 months ago
Reply to  Jack Trade

Turns out the Tesla short shorts were hotter than the NOT A FLAMETHROWER.

Col Lingus
Col Lingus
7 months ago

If it does actually come with rockets, then Muskrat should gift one to MTG and Boebert to go into space. So they can find and disable all the Jewish Space Lasers.
Yeah I know the joke is old and played out. But I don’t give a damn.

Chronometric
Chronometric
7 months ago
Reply to  Col Lingus

StarMan was sent to disable the space lasers but his Tesla Roadster couldn’t find a charger. Turns out the only plug is at Uranus.

Crank Shaft
Crank Shaft
7 months ago

Jason, Please accept my apologies for the following repeated comment:

Con Man.

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