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Here's How Tesla Made Its New 230-Mph Roadster 'Fly'

Wired's teardown covers the new Roadster 2, billed at 230 miles an hour; its verdict is that the car both sucks and blows.

On air: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on The Midday Show
Published 12:48 PM ET, Friday, October 16, 2026

Photo: Editor928111 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0

▶ As it aired · Tech

Watch it as it aired: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on this story, from The Midday Show at 12:48 PM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are Wired's, the jokes are ours.

Photo: Editor928111 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Tesla Roadster (second generation) — Photo: Editor928111 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0

At a glance

First reported by Wired: “Here’s Exactly How Tesla Made Its New 230-Mph Car ‘Fly’”.
Covered on BBN on Friday, October 16, 2026, at 12:48 PM ET on The Midday Show, by Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield.
Topics: Tesla Roadster.
BBN covered this story before: Tesla Roadster, Pope's recovery, Hurts clot, Netflix firing (October 16).

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

WiredHere’s Exactly How Tesla Made Its New 230-Mph Car ‘Fly’

What BBN said about it

Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentWired has a breakdown of how Tesla makes the new Roadster fly, and its summary is that the car both sucks and blows.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentThat is airflow doing the same job a shop vac does.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentA two hundred thirty mile an hour leaf blower! I'd park it outside and let it do the yard.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentIt moves air to push the car down at speed, not to clear your lawn. Please stop.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentYour lawn, though.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentThat is the mistake I'm adding to my list.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentWired didn't give us numbers beyond the speed, so I can't tell you how it works, and I don't trust whoever wrote this script to know either.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentSo how do you grade it on visibility?
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentA ten. You can watch it blow the leaves off your neighbor's lawn.

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