Musk on Joe Rogan: Tesla's flying car prototype by 2025

Speaking on The Joe Rogan Experience, Tesla chief Elon Musk said he expects to unveil a prototype of a flying car by the end of 2025. The conversation began with Joe Rogan asking about the long-awaited second-generation Tesla Roadster, but Musk steered it toward a machine that could take to the air.

To recap, the second-generation Tesla Roadster was first shown in 2017, and its launch has been delayed multiple times after initial deliveries were planned for 2020. Recently, OpenAI head Sam Altman complained that he still has not managed to get back a $50,000 deposit he placed for the Roadster in 2018. Instead of explaining the project’s current status, Musk said Tesla was close to staging an unforgettable demonstration of a new prototype. The shift sounded less like an update and more like an attempt to reset expectations around what comes next.

In the interview, Musk remarked that flying cars were what the future was supposed to bring and added that if Peter Thiel wants a flying car, he should be able to buy one. He refused to reveal technical details, stressing only that the effort involves wildly innovative technology. He also said it is unclear whether the project can be called a car in the strict sense, though it looks like one. When asked about folding wings or vertical takeoff and landing, he declined to answer.

It is worth noting that Musk spoke about flying cars back in 2014, and his timelines often prove overly optimistic. The Tesla Roadster is still not in production, and the first Falcon Heavy launch occurred five years later than promised. Even so, if he keeps his word, we may see Tesla’s first flying-car prototype by the end of the year, even if it remains far from a production model.