Tesla is taking $50,000 deposits on the Roadster
All-electric sports car first unveiled in 2017
Tesla changing the way vehicles are manufactured: Jed Dorsheimer
Canaccord Genuity Group global head of sustainability reacts to Tesla's cyber rodeo on 'The Claman Countdown.'
The Tesla Roadster reservations book is open, but still won't be on the road until next year.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk with the Roadster. (Tesla)
Tesla first unveiled the electric sports car in 2017 and said it would be on sale by 2020 at a starting price of $200,000, with a limited edition Founder's Series model offered at $250,000.
The Roadster was advertised with a 250 mph top speed, the ability to accelerate to 60 mph in under 2 seconds and a driving range of 620 miles between charges. Musk has also said it will be available with a SpaceX rocket package that will improve the acceleration to 1.1 seconds and allow it to "fly" in short bursts.
It didn't make the original deadline, however, and has been delayed several times since as engineering continues and Tesla focuses on other mainstream products. Tesla stopped taking reservations on the Founder's Series late last year, but CEO Elon Musk announced during the Cyber Rodeo event held last week at Tesla's Austin, Texas, factory that the Roadster will be in production in 2023 and reservations are available for the standard model.
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
Customers have to put down $5,000 immediately and an additional $45,000 within 10 days, but final purchase price is no longer listed. Although the Tesla website does not make it clear, the reservation agreement indicates that the full amount is refundable up until the point that a purchase agreement is entered. The Founder's Series is not currently offered on the website, but Tesla has not confirmed if it received 1,000 reservations for it.
This story has been updated to clarify that reservations for the Founder's Series were discontinued last year