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Tesla’s reservation agreement for its second-generation Roadster says the company cannot guarantee when the car will be delivered—or that it will be delivered at all. Reservations are refundable, but deposits can reach $250,000, and holders receive only an approximate place in line if production begins.
Tesla’s reservation agreement for its second-generation Roadster says the company cannot guarantee when the car will be delivered—or whether it will be delivered at all. The disclosure matters to prospective buyers because Tesla is seeking deposits of up to $250,000 for a vehicle still under development, with production currently estimated for 2028.
As reported by The Drive, citing reservation language identified by InsideEVs, Tesla’s agreement states: “Roadster is still under development and so we cannot guarantee when your vehicle will actually be delivered or if it will be delivered.” A reservation does not secure a confirmed production slot. If the car enters production, Tesla says customers will receive an approximate place in line.
The agreement also says the Roadster’s price, options, features and hardware are not final. Tesla says it is still determining what the car will include and cannot yet confirm its exact price; final pricing is expected when customers are invited to configure their vehicles. The company’s present production estimate is 2028, but that date is not a delivery guarantee.
Reservations are described as fully refundable, though they are non-transferable. The agreement does not include a no-resale clause of the kind used for some prior Tesla special editions, according to The Drive. That distinction does not change the central terms: a reservation is not a promise that a customer will receive a car.
What the Deposit Does Not Secure
The reservation terms put a substantial financial commitment alongside uncertain delivery. A deposit of as much as $250,000 can represent a significant sum for a buyer, yet the agreement says Tesla may not deliver a vehicle and does not promise a specific production position. The refund provision gives customers a way to recover their reservation payment under the stated terms, but buyers still need to understand what they are paying for: a place in a prospective queue, not a guaranteed car.
The wording also affects how customers should interpret Tesla’s 2028 production estimate and the Roadster’s announced specifications. Because both the schedule and product details remain subject to change, buyers cannot treat the current estimate or features as final commitments. The company’s disclosures make the uncertainty explicit rather than resolving it.
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A Roadster Still Awaiting Production
Tesla showed a second-generation Roadster in 2017 and has presented the vehicle again nearly a decade later, according to The Drive. The original version of the new Roadster did not enter production, despite Tesla previously accepting deposits, including amounts up to $250,000 for the top Founders Series version. That history is relevant to current reservation holders, although it does not by itself determine what will happen with the latest iteration.
Tesla has also promoted ambitious performance claims for the car. The source report cites claims by CEO Elon Musk of a zero-to-60-mph time of 0.81 seconds and built-in rocket thrusters. Those are company promises, not independently verified performance results from a production vehicle; the reservation agreement itself says specifications and hardware may change before production.
““Roadster is still under development and so we cannot guarantee when your vehicle will actually be delivered or if it will be delivered.””
— Tesla, in the Roadster reservation agreement
Delivery, Price and Specs Remain Open
The reservation agreement does not establish whether or when production will begin, how many cars Tesla will build, or how long reservation holders may wait. The 2028 date is an estimate, not a confirmed start date or customer delivery schedule. The source report does not provide a firm production timeline beyond that estimate.
Final pricing, available configurations and production specifications are also unknown. Tesla says these details will be determined later and may change during development. The terms describe reservations as refundable, but the report does not specify the precise refund process or timing. Those details should not be assumed beyond the agreement’s stated refundability.
Watch for Configuration and Production Dates
The next stated customer milestone is an invitation to configure the car, when Tesla says full pricing will be available. Before that point, the company may revise specifications, options and its estimated production schedule. The reservation terms do not set a date for configuration invitations.
Prospective buyers can review the current agreement and refund terms before placing or maintaining a reservation. Any change to the production estimate, confirmed pricing or delivery commitments would provide a clearer picture of whether and when reservation holders might receive vehicles; none is established by the terms described in the report.
Key Questions
Does a Roadster reservation guarantee delivery?
No. Tesla’s agreement says it cannot guarantee when the vehicle will be delivered or whether it will be delivered at all.
How much can Tesla require for a reservation?
The source report says Tesla is asking for deposits of up to $250,000. The agreement treats the payment as a reservation, not a confirmed build slot.
When is Roadster production expected to start?
Tesla currently estimates production will start in 2028. The date is an estimate, and the agreement does not guarantee a production start or customer delivery date.
Can customers get their reservation money back?
The report says reservations are fully refundable. It does not provide further details about the refund process or how quickly payments would be returned.
Is the Roadster’s price final?
No. Tesla says it has not confirmed the exact price and expects to provide full pricing when customers are invited to configure their cars. Features and hardware may also change.
Source: rss
