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As the saying goes, timing is everything. If Tesla CEO and on-again, off-again billionaire Elon Musk intended to generate publicity for the company’s long-awaited relaunch of the iconic Tesla Roadster, now is the perfect time. Or not, as the case may be. The affordability crisis is at the center of the 2026 election cycle, and a $200,000 electric sports car may not be the best move for an influential politician who has been pouring dollar after dollar into dozens of races across the country, aiming to shore up Republican candidates for office in the run-up to Election Day 2026.
The time has come to build a $200,000 electric sports car… in Saudi Arabia
The saying also goes that any success is a good success in the field of public relations, but that depends on who is reading in what room. For example, last week Saudi Arabia saw fit to unveil the first two “EXOBOT” electric cars to roll off the assembly line at the new factory of state-backed Ceer Motors, the country’s first in-house automaker. The launch was a sign of confidence in the Kingdom’s future, even as the fallout from US President Donald Trump’s war against Iran continues to reverberate across the region.
Ceer has yet to reveal pricing for the new sedan and SUV, although the sales pitch hints at a deep wallet requirement. “The mission is clear: to design, build and deliver aspirational battery electric vehicles to the vibrant communities of Saudi Arabia and the GCC,” Saudi sovereign fund PIF said in a press release.
Readers, what do you think? How much will a Ceer cost you? Today, around $30,000 is generally considered an affordable price for an electric car in the United States. At $60,000 it enters the upper end of the affordability scale. If you double that number, you will be knocking on the door of aspirational mode.
It’s a good time to launch a $200,000 electric car in the US.
The launch of Ceer is just fine for Saudi Arabia, where the country’s leaders do not face the task of summoning their voters every four years. Here in the United States the story is different, and the story is wealth and corruption. After a 10-year streak of seducing the American electorate, Trump has lost his magic touch, largely, but not exclusively, due to the fallout from his preferred war against Iran. Gas prices are skyrocketing along with farm bankruptcies, and that’s just the tip of a long, ugly iceberg of economic woes burdened by an electorate burdened by the rising cost of, well, everything.
This image shows Elon Musk and his soon-to-be-unveiled $200,000 Tesla Roadster. E-mobility fans can also claim the title of founder if they shell out $250,000, but let’s say $200,000 for simplicity.
The original Roadster sold for a base price of around $100,000 when Tesla Motors launched it in 2006, qualifying it as an aspirational purchase in its time. Taking inflation into account, that figure would rise to about $166,000 today.
Evidently, Tesla is determined to up the ante when it comes to aspirations with the new Roadster. In addition to shelling out a total of $200,000 at some point, potential buyers must deduct $5,000 from their credit card just to reserve a spot over the next 10 days, within which period they must pay an additional $45,000 fee via wire transfer. “Reservations are not final until payment is received by bank transfer,” Tesla warns.
Now, who has that kind of money lying around?
Where in the world is Elon Musk?
The big reveal is reportedly scheduled for October 1, which is right around the corner. The big question is whether Musk will appear in person or not. He hasn’t appeared lately. He skipped the major Cybercab driverless robotaxi event in Austin, Texas, on September 3, and was also not visible when Tesla held the official opening of its Class 8 Semi electric truck factory in Nevada last week.
Personally, I’m betting Musk will show up on this one, if only to show the people at Ceer. Musk also has his reputation at stake. The Roadster’s return was first teased nine years ago, in 2017, with production scheduled for 2020. After years of delay, excitement has reached a fever pitch.
In April, Musk hinted that the launch event will be one of the “most exciting product unveilings ever.”
“Success is not guaranteed, but excitement is,” he also said during a recent video appearance on the “All In” podcast hosted by Jason Calacanis, leading some to speculate that Musk intends to perform as Howard Stark in the infamous 2011 moving-in hovercar scene. Captain America: The First Avenger with the new Roadster recreating the flight of Stark’s 1942 Cadillac.
A little about the brand, in the movie Stark promises that the air car will be available “in a few years”, only to see it fall to the ground in a cascade of sparks and smoke.
The affordable electric cars of the future are here
Aspirational sports cars aside, the initial cost of an electric vehicle continues to fall, largely due to cost reductions on the battery side. Ford is among American automakers also confident that a new approach to assembly line operations will reduce costs.
Trump’s election war in Iran has also tilted the TCO (total cost of ownership) calculation even further toward the EV side, largely due to rising fuel prices. The high cost of motor oil also plays a role, to a lesser extent.
A new analysis of data from the UK’s “MOT” vehicle safety testing program adds even more support to the TCO case for electric vehicles. The analysis, commissioned by trade body British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association, claims that electric vehicles are less likely to suffer mechanical breakdowns than their petrol counterparts, with the reliability gap increasing as mileage increases.
That’s good news for the many American households that don’t have access to public transportation or other alternative modes of transportation. Automobiles are a reality that can make or break a person’s ability to earn a living, get an education, visit their doctor, or simply go out for a night at the movies.
Speaking of movies, after the dust settles from the big reveal of the Tesla Roadster on October 1, audiences in New York and Los Angeles will be able to catch a glimpse of the new documentary “Musk,” which will initially premiere on October 9 and be released widely on October 16. Watch the trailer here.
Trivia fans may recognize the name of “Musk” director Alex Gibney, an Emmy- and Oscar-winning filmmaker widely known for his documentaries exploring the Enron and Theranos scandals. Gibney also attached his name to Chris Paine’s 2006 documentary, “Who Killed the Electric Car?” which followed the sad fate of General Motors’ 1990s EV-1. A lot of water has passed under the bridge since then…
Image: The long-awaited unveiling of the new $200,000 Tesla Roadster electric sports car is scheduled for October 1, just in time to fan the fire of the affordability crisis in the run-up to Election Day 2026 (screenshot courtesy of Tesla).
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