A controversial F1 inspires Tesla for the Roadster

For years, the Tesla Roadster has been like a myth, but it now seems ready to defy the laws of gravity.

Announced with great fanfare over eight years ago by Elon Musk, the promised revolutionary performance of the Tesla Roadster has yet to materialize. However, a new patent recently published proves that the project is not completely buried and that Tesla is still actively working on it.

This patent, titled “Adaptive Aerodynamics for Generating Downforce,” describes a rather spectacular device. The concept relies on a set of deployable skirts under the car, combined with four electric fans located at the rear. Their mission is to create a vacuum under the vehicle, literally pulling it down toward the ground. The expected result is more downforce, more grip, and therefore significantly improved cornering performance.

The real innovation lies in the intelligent control of this system. The skirts are capable of adapting to road irregularities to maintain the suction effect. The speed of the fans and the angle of the blades can be adjusted in real time according to the driving mode and road conditions. One can imagine an ultra-downforce track mode and a lightweight configuration for top speed.

A Well-Known Technology

However, while the idea may seem futuristic, it is not new. Fans have been used since the 70s in Can-Am, and especially in 1978 in Formula 1 with the famous Brabham BT46B designed by the brilliant engineer Gordon Murray. Once on the track, the car was overwhelmingly dominant but was quickly deemed illegal and banned from circuits. Nearly half a century later, Murray revived the concept in his Supercar T.50 launched in 2021.

More recently, the McMurtry Spéirling, a British electric microcar with 1,000 hp, has brought this principle back into vogue, with a maximum downforce of over 2 tons, sufficient to literally drive… upside down.

The challenge for Tesla will be to adapt this extreme technology to the road. While circuits are smooth, everyday roads are full of bumps and imperfections. Any loss of seal between the skirts and the asphalt could completely negate the desired effect. Moreover, this device, which draws air underneath the car and discharges it behind, has a small downside. It throws everything it sucks up, including gravel and dirt, onto the cars that follow! One can only imagine how amusing some insurance claims may be.

You might be interestedin this article:

Innovation

• 03/10/2025 10:51

Mercedes Generalizes the Transparent Hood Engine

Finally, there remains the big unknown: the launch date. This patent rekindles interest in the Roadster, but Tesla has yet to communicate any official timeline. One thing is for sure, if this system goes into production, the Roadster could very well live up to all its promises on the road.

ALSO READ: 4 times cheaper than a Tesla Model Y, the new MG4 is coming!