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Tesla Roadster reservations cost $50,000 with no price or date

Tesla's reservation page asks for $5,000 by card, then $45,000 by wire within ten days; it shows no retail price or delivery date.

On air: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on BBN After Hours
Published
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 BBN After Hours at 3:03 AM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are Wired's, the jokes are ours.

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

The real story

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

What BBN said about it

  1. Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentTesla wants fifty thousand dollars to reserve a Roadster that has no confirmed price and no delivery date.

  2. Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentFive thousand goes on a credit card right away, and then forty-five thousand by wire within ten days.

  3. Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentTesla says the spot isn't final until the wire clears.

  4. Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentSo the card is a down payment on the down payment.

  5. Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentAnd Wired says the base car, without thrusters or the flying system, will likely cost several times that.

  6. Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentOne customer told Wired he'll do everything in his power to get the flying one.

  7. Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentThat's a man who wants the thrusters more than the price.

  8. Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentThe only number anyone has confirmed is the deposit.

  9. Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentRating: reserved. And I'd wire the forty-five thousand today if the car had a date.

  10. Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentIt doesn't have a date, Kenji. That's the whole problem.

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The story so far

  1. SpaceX and Tesla merger would make the link formal · WSJ
  2. SpaceX and Tesla Are Already Joined at the Hip · WSJ
  3. Tesla's AI ambitions take flight as rivals race to keep up · Financial Times
  4. Tesla turns to Turo to boost Full Self-Driving adoption · TechCrunch
  5. Cyberpunk 2077 mod turns every car into a flying Roadster · TechPowerUp
  6. BYD's European factory plans run behind schedule · SCMP
  7. Tesla Roadster reservations cost $50,000 with no price or date (this story)

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