Hot topic today: Tesla unveils its new Roadster, with flight capability still unconfirmed by official sources

Odaily Planet Daily News: Tesla unveiled its new generation Roadster today at 8:55 a.m. Beijing time at a SpaceX test facility in Texas. This launch comes after two consecutive years of declining sales for Tesla vehicles, as the company aims to re-energize market interest in its automotive business. Elon Musk previously described the new Roadster as 'beyond movies, beyond imagination, beyond humanity,' hinting that the vehicle might possess flight capabilities through rocket technology, though Tesla has not confirmed whether the Roadster can fly or if an official flight demonstration will take place. Prior to the event, footage showed a tall, reverse-curved ramp being constructed, leading to speculation that the car might drive up the ramp, hang upside down, or briefly leap into the air. Later, social media reports claimed the Roadster leapt over a row of Tesla vehicles during the presentation, described as a live stunt; at that time, Polymarket betting odds for the Roadster 'flying' during the demo were around 69%, with some users reportedly profiting $169,000. Other posts claimed the second-generation Roadster Rocket version supports forward and upward acceleration as well as lateral rotation, asserting the car 'can fly.' Musk later shared these posts, writing: 'It turns out, flying cars are real.' However, social media accounts of mid-air maneuvers, stunts, and descriptions of the Rocket version's control mechanisms still do not equate to Tesla confirming that the mass-produced model has independent flight capability.