Tesla Roadster's 14 kg TNT-equivalent nitrogen tanks raise safety concerns

Tesla unveiled the final version of its new Roadster on October 15, 2026, revealing that high-pressure nitrogen tanks stored behind the seats hold energy equivalent to up to 14 kg of TNT, raising serious safety questions about the vehicle's crashworthiness. The Roadster comes in three versions: the Performance without thrusters, the Thrust with a 200-liter tank, and the Rocket with an additional 400-liter tank. These composite overwrapped pressure vessels operate at up to 690 bars, and if ruptured, could cause severe or fatal injuries to occupants from shockwaves and debris. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has acknowledged the Roadster is "not necessarily optimized for safety," and the vehicle faces no existing regulations since nitrogen thruster tanks fall outside current fuel tank standards. The main unknown is whether the car has a thermal relief valve to prevent tank explosion in fires, which is mandatory for hydrogen vehicles.