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Tesla’s reservation agreement for its next-generation Roadster says the company cannot guarantee when a car will be delivered—or whether it will be delivered at all. Reservations are refundable, but the stated production start of 2028 is an estimate, and price, features and specifications remain subject to change.

Tesla’s reservation agreement for its next-generation Roadster says the company cannot guarantee when a car will be delivered or whether it will be delivered at all. The terms apply as Tesla accepts reservations for a vehicle that remains under development, with production estimated to start in 2028.

The agreement, identified by InsideEVs and reported by The Drive, describes a reservation as providing an approximate place in line if the Roadster enters production—not a confirmed build slot. Tesla is asking some customers to put down as much as $250,000, according to The Drive’s report. The reservation terms say the payment reserves a place in line rather than guaranteeing that a vehicle will be made for the customer.

Tesla says its price, options, features and hardware are not final. The agreement describes any purchase price discussed before configuration as an estimate and says the company cannot yet confirm the exact price. Tesla says full pricing will be available when customers are invited to configure their cars. The reservations are fully refundable, although they are non-transferable.

The terms do not include a no-resale clause like those applied to some earlier Tesla special editions, The Drive reported. That distinction does not change the agreement’s warning that delivery is uncertain. Tesla’s estimate of a 2028 production start is not a confirmed delivery schedule for reservation holders.

At a glance
updateWhen: Current reservation terms; Tesla estima…
The developmentTesla’s published reservation terms warn that Roadster delivery is not guaranteed, even as the company accepts reservations and estimates production could begin in 2028.

What Roadster Reservations Promise

The language draws a clear distinction between paying for a reservation and securing a car. Customers may place a substantial amount of money with Tesla, but the agreement says they receive only an approximate queue position if production proceeds. That makes the refund provision a central part of the offer for people deciding whether to reserve.

The uncertainty also affects how customers should interpret Tesla’s timeline and announced specifications. A 2028 production estimate does not establish when individual cars would arrive, and Tesla says pricing and equipment may change before configuration. In practical terms, reservation holders are committing money to a place in a possible future production process, not buying a vehicle with a fixed price or delivery date.

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The Roadster’s Long Delay

Tesla first presented the second-generation Roadster nearly a decade before its latest public appearance, according to The Drive. The company previously accepted deposits for that version, including amounts of up to $250,000 for the planned Founders Series, but the vehicle did not enter production, the report said. That history gives added weight to the new agreement’s explicit warning about whether delivery will occur.

Tesla has now shown the Roadster again and is taking reservations under updated terms. The Drive reported that the latest presentation included ambitious performance claims from CEO Elon Musk, including a zero-to-60-mph time of 0.81 seconds and built-in rocket thrusters. Those are claims about the proposed vehicle, not evidence that the specifications are final or that production has begun.

“Roadster is still under development and so we cannot guarantee when your vehicle will actually be delivered or if it will be delivered.”

— Tesla’s Roadster reservation agreement, as quoted in The Drive report

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Delivery, Price and Specs Remain Open

The agreement does not provide a guaranteed production date, delivery date or final price. It also does not settle which features and hardware will be available in production cars, or whether Tesla’s announced performance claims will appear in the final vehicle. The company’s 2028 estimate is a production target, not a promise that reservation holders will receive cars that year.

The available report does not specify how many reservations Tesla has accepted, how the approximate queue position will be calculated, or when customers will be invited to configure their vehicles. It also does not establish whether Tesla will meet the current production estimate. Those details remain unclear based on the reservation terms and reporting provided.

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Configuration Would Set Final Terms

Tesla says customers will receive full pricing when they are invited to configure their cars. Until that stage, prospective buyers should treat the price and specifications as estimates and read the reservation agreement’s refund and queue-position provisions carefully. The company has not provided a confirmed schedule for those invitations in the material reported.

The next major milestone would be evidence that the Roadster has moved from development toward production, followed by confirmed configuration details and delivery plans. For now, the 2028 start estimate remains unconfirmed, and the agreement leaves open whether a reserved vehicle will ultimately be delivered.

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Key Questions

Does a Roadster reservation guarantee that Tesla will deliver a car?

No. Tesla’s agreement says it cannot guarantee when a vehicle will be delivered or whether it will be delivered. A reservation provides an approximate place in line if production happens.

How much is Tesla asking for a reservation?

The Drive reported that Tesla is asking for amounts of up to $250,000. The report does not specify that every reservation requires that amount.

Can customers get their reservation money back?

According to The Drive’s account of Tesla’s terms, reservations are fully refundable. They are described as non-transferable.

When is the Roadster expected to enter production?

Tesla currently estimates a 2028 production start. That is an estimate, not a guaranteed start date or delivery schedule for reservation holders.

Are the Roadster’s price and specifications final?

No. Tesla says the vehicle remains under development and that its price, options, features and hardware may change. The company says final pricing will be available when customers are invited to configure their cars.

Source: rss

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