Brief
Snopes finds Tesla Roadster demo videos show real mid‑air stunts
Snopes says the footage from Tesla's Oct. 15 launch was not fabricated and matches attendee recordings.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Snopes evaluated the claim that Tesla posted authentic videos on Oct. 15 of its new "flying" Roadster performing mid‑air stunts. The fact‑checking site concluded the footage was genuine, rating the claim true.
The videos were livestreamed on YouTube during a launch event for the second‑generation Roadster held in front of a live audience. The clip shows the prototype driving up an upside‑down ramp, flipping off the ramp, landing on its wheels, and then flipping over a row of other Tesla products. It also accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 0.81 seconds. Attendees posted their own recordings on social media, which Snopes says corroborate the official livestream.
Snopes found no evidence that the videos were created with artificial‑intelligence tools or digital editing. The site notes that reputable car‑magazine Top Gear staff were present and confirmed they saw the demonstrations. Other mainstream news outlets also covered the event, reinforcing the claim that the stunts were real.
Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO, addressed the audience during the livestream, saying, "We need an audience to prove that it’s not AI or SI," referring to artificial intelligence and "Super Intelligence" as coined by former U.S. President Donald Trump. Musk added that the prototype could "fly like a rocket," though the demonstration did not include sustained flight over a longer distance.
The prototype shown was driver‑less; no human was behind the wheel during the flips. Snopes points out that the final consumer version of the Roadster is not yet in production, and it remains unclear whether future models will retain the same capabilities demonstrated on Oct. 15.
Overall, Snopes’ assessment supports the authenticity of the videos, while acknowledging that the term "flying car" remains open to interpretation until a production model is released.
Key facts
- Tesla livestreamed videos of a Roadster prototype performing flips and rapid acceleration on Oct. 15. (snopes.com)
- Snopes rated the claim that the videos are authentic as true, finding no evidence of AI‑generated manipulation. (snopes.com)
- Attendees, including Top Gear staff, posted their own recordings that match the official livestream. (snopes.com)
- Elon Musk said the prototype could "fly like a rocket" but did not demonstrate sustained flight. (snopes.com)
- The prototype was driver‑less and the production version is not expected until 2028. (snopes.com)
Sources
- [1] snopes.com — originally reported as “Are videos of Tesla's new 'flying' car performing mid-air stunts real?”
