Waiting nearly 11 years for a car is frustrating enough, but imagine having paid $250,000 upfront and then discovering that you might not even get the version you originally wanted. That is the rather unusual situation facing Asif Khan, a US businessman and CEO of digital news outlet Shacknews, who pre-ordered the Tesla Roadster in 2017 when Elon Musk was promising a revolutionary electric sports car that would redefine performance. Almost a decade later, the Roadster has evolved into something quite different from the vehicle he originally reserved, and Khan has now had enough. He wants his money back and no longer wishes to take delivery of the car, but Tesla has reportedly refused to cancel his order or issue a refund.
According to German publication Auto Bild, Khan placed his order when the Roadster looked considerably different from the model Tesla has recently unveiled, with a much rounder design. Although he does not seem particularly bothered by the styling changes and admits that the car’s extraordinary acceleration looks like fun, he originally wanted something he could comfortably use as an everyday car. He now fears that the latest version might not be practical enough for that purpose, which is why he approached Tesla seeking a refund.
Khan’s problem is that Tesla has reportedly refused to cancel the order and return his money. The businessman now appears to have little choice but to wait for the car, which is not expected to reach its first customers until 2028. By then, his original reservation will be roughly 11 years old, making it one of the more unusual stories to emerge from Tesla’s long-delayed sports car project.
The timing is particularly interesting because Elon Musk has finally given the world a look at what Tesla has been working towards all these years. The new Roadster was unveiled at a SpaceX facility in Texas, where a prototype performed a series of spectacular stunts, including driving upside down on a curved ramp before launching into the air, performing a flip, and landing back on the ground. Musk has described it as a car that could fly like a rocket, thanks to altitude-control thrusters and additional propulsion units at the rear. The system uses cold-gas thrusters developed with SpaceX technology rather than conventional rocket engines, with highly pressurized gas providing the thrust needed to move the vehicle through the air. Tesla has also claimed that the Roadster can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in less than a second.
There is another catch for Khan, however, as his $250,000 payment reportedly does not guarantee him the most extraordinary version of the Roadster. Tesla is expected to offer different configurations, with the entry-level version producing approximately 1,340 hp and more than 1,400 Nm (more than 1000 ft-lbs) of torque, according to development chief Lars Moravy. The more extreme Rocket version is expected to feature the full flight system and a targeted top speed exceeding 230 mph, but it will reportedly be offered only to customers invited by Tesla. The base version will not receive these additional capabilities, despite the enormous sum Khan has already paid.
For someone who placed an order almost a decade before the car’s latest unveiling, this is hardly the outcome he might have imagined. He has already spent $250,000, watched the original concept evolve into something considerably different, and now faces the prospect of waiting until 2028 for a car he is no longer sure he wants. Tesla’s refusal to refund his money makes the situation even more frustrating, particularly when the company is still working towards delivering a production-ready Roadster. What was once an exciting reservation has turned into a rather expensive waiting game.
