Elon Musk's 'Flying' Tesla Won't Change Your Business. The Electric Cars Already on the Road Will.

On October 15, 2026, Elon Musk showed off a new Tesla Roadster at a SpaceX facility in Texas. On camera, it drove up a ramp, hung upside down, launched into the air, flipped over a row of parked Teslas and landed. Musk said the car has thrusters in the rear "so it can basically fly like a rocket." ^{[1] [2]}

It made headlines everywhere. It will not change how your business runs in 2026, or likely in 2027.

What will change it is quieter: the electric cars your customers already drive. About 5.4 million of them are on U.S. roads today. ^[3] Every one of them needs tires, repairs, insurance, charging and, sooner or later, a plan for a worn-out battery. This paper separates the stunt from the business, and shows what electric vehicles mean right now for tire shops, auto repair and body shops, electricians, insurance agents and attorneys.

This paper reports Tesla's demonstration as described in news coverage. Groundwork has no connection to Tesla, SpaceX or Elon Musk.

What Tesla actually showed

Strip away the fireworks and here is what was reported:

• It hops; it doesn't fly. The demonstration used about 10 high-pressure air nozzles fed by tanks inside the car, plus suction under the body to grip the ramp. An aviation expert quoted in coverage of the event said the demo showed hopping, not sustained flight. ^[1]
• It is years away. The tentative production target is 2028, and Tesla has missed Roadster dates before. ^[1]
• It is expensive and rare. Reservations start at $50,000. A "Thrust" version adds a $245,000 follow-up payment. The top "Rocket" version is invite-only and not legal on public roads. ^{[1] [2]}
• The details are still moving. Reports of the car's range and top speed don't match from one outlet to the next. ^{[1] [2]}
• Experts are skeptical of car-plane hybrids. Roger Conner of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum said such a vehicle would likely be "a poor performing aircraft and a poor performing vehicle," because road-car safety equipment is too heavy for good aircraft design. ^[1]

For a small business, the takeaway is simple: very few of these cars will exist, they will cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, and they are years from anyone's driveway, let alone your service bay.

The wave that matters: electric cars already on the road

How many there are

As of early 2026, about 1.96% of the 277.1 million cars and light trucks in operation in the United States were electric, roughly 5.4 million vehicles. In 2025, about 9% of new vehicles registered by individual buyers were electric. ^[3]

Sales slowed, but the fleet keeps growing

New EV sales fell sharply in 2026. An estimated 262,649 EVs were sold in the third quarter of 2026, down 39.5% from 434,279 a year earlier. ^[4] The year-earlier quarter was likely inflated by buyers rushing to beat the end of the federal clean vehicle tax credit, which is not available for vehicles bought after September 30, 2025. ^[5]

Slower sales still add cars. More than a quarter-million new EVs joined the road in a single quarter, and each one will need service for years. For a local business, the fleet already on the road matters more than this year's sales headlines.

What it means, business by business

Tire shops

Electric cars are heavy, because of the battery, and deliver full power the instant the driver presses the pedal. Both wear tires. A September 2026 industry review found that a common rule of thumb puts EV tire wear at about 20% faster than comparable gas cars, with other estimates ranging from 5% to 20% depending on the tire and the driver. Some sources claim the opposite, so the figure is not settled. The same review reported that EV-specific tires cost roughly 60% to 90% more. ^[6]

The opportunity: stock a few EV-rated tires in the most common sizes, explain to customers why EV tires differ (load rating, noise, rolling resistance), and offer rotation and alignment packages. Rotation and alignment reduce uneven wear on any car. ^[6]

Auto repair and body shops

Electric cars cost more to fix after a crash. An analysis of second-quarter 2024 claims by Mitchell, which supplies software to insurers and repair shops, put the average EV collision repair at $5,753, compared with $4,806 for gas vehicles, about 20% more. Original-manufacturer parts made up 89% of parts spending on EVs, compared with 65% for gas cars. ^[7]

That parts figure is the real story for independent shops. EV repairs lean heavily on manufacturer parts, information and, often, manufacturer certification. Shops that earn the right certifications and training can compete for that work. Shops that don't will increasingly send it down the road.

The opportunity: start with training. ASE offers a Light Duty Hybrid/Electric Vehicle Specialist certification (L3), which covers diagnosis of the battery system, drive system and power electronics. Technicians must first pass ASE's electrical (A6) and engine performance (A8) tests. ^[8] For collision work, look into the certification programs of the EV brands most common in your area.

Battery work and recycling

Every EV battery eventually wears out or gets damaged. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says most lithium-ion batteries are likely hazardous waste when discarded, because they can catch fire or react. Businesses can manage them under the simpler "universal waste" rules, but must send them to a permitted facility or recycler and follow federal shipping rules. EPA also recommends training anyone who handles them, keeping damaged batteries separate, storing them away from flammable materials and coordinating with the local fire marshal. ^[9]

The opportunity: for shops, safe battery handling is now a job requirement, not an extra. For entrepreneurs, battery collection, storage, testing and transport is a specialized, regulated service with real demand. Treat it as a regulated business, with the permits, training and insurance that requires.

Electricians

Home and workplace chargers are steady work for electricians. One change matters for how you sell it: the federal tax credit for installing charging equipment (the alternative fuel vehicle refueling property credit) is not available for equipment placed in service after June 30, 2026. ^[10] If your sales pitch or website still mentions "30% back from the IRS," take it down. Check for state and utility rebates instead, which vary by location.

Insurance agents

EVs cost more to insure. A 2026 Insurify analysis found the average EV costs about $3,159 a year to insure, compared with $2,218 for gas cars, about 42% more. Comparing only 2024 and newer models narrows the gap to about 18%, because gas averages include older, cheaper cars. Insurify pointed to higher vehicle values and repair costs. ^[11]

The opportunity: an independent agent who understands EV coverage (repair costs, battery damage, charging equipment at home and the right deductibles) can become the local go-to. As for the Roadster, insurers have no claims history for a car that launches itself into the air. That is specialty-market territory, and it will be for years.

Attorneys

New technology brings new disputes. The questions small businesses will bring to their attorneys are practical ones: repair disputes and warranty claims on EVs, liability for battery fires in a shop, contracts for adding EV services, and permits for charging installations.

The flying Roadster raises a bigger question with no clear answer yet: which rules apply to a road car that can leave the ground? Regulators do create new categories when technology demands it. In October 2024, the Federal Aviation Administration finalized rules for "powered-lift" aircraft, such as air taxis, its first new aircraft category in almost 80 years. ^[12] How, or whether, a hopping sports car fits anywhere in that system is a question for regulators and lawyers, not for this paper.

The Groundwork Wave Test

Every few months, a headline promises to change everything. Most owners can't afford to chase every one, and can't afford to ignore the ones that matter. Before you spend money getting ready for a trend, answer four questions.

Example: a tire shop gets ready for EVs

This example is hypothetical.

Ray owns a two-bay tire and alignment shop. He has noticed more EVs in town but has never stocked an EV-specific tire. He runs the Wave Test:

1. Are customers buying? Two or three EV owners a month ask for tires, and he sends them to the dealer. Yes.
2. Cheapest way to get ready? Stock EV-rated tires in the four most common sizes he sees, train both techs on EV lift points from the manufacturer's service information, and add an "EV tires and alignment" section to his website and Google profile.
3. Cost of waiting? Every EV owner he turns away learns to go somewhere else for tires and alignments, possibly for years.
4. Who sells to them? Right now, the dealer an hour away. That's his opening.

Total cost: some inventory, a few hours of training and a website update. If EV traffic doesn't grow, he sells through the tires and stops reordering. The downside is small; the upside is a customer group his competitors are ignoring.

Groundwork's final assessment

The flying Roadster is a remarkable piece of engineering theater. For small business owners, it is a story to watch, not a reason to spend.

The electric cars already on the road are different. There are millions of them, they wear tires and cost more to repair and insure, their batteries carry real handling rules, and the tax rules around them keep changing. Owners who take small, cheap steps now, such as a certification, the right stock or an honest web page, will be ready to serve those customers. Owners who wait for the headlines to settle may find someone else already has.

Put Groundwork to work for your business

Want to know whether competitors near you already advertise EV service? A Groundwork Competition Checkup shows who is ranking, what they promise and where the gaps are. We can also write the website copy for a new service line, update your Google Business Profile, or price a new service so it pays for itself. Every Groundwork project is fixed-price. Groundwork is not a law firm, tax practice or insurance agency; for those questions, talk to a licensed professional in your state.

Anticipated Questions

Should I invest in anything related to flying cars now?

For almost every small business, no. Tesla's own target is 2028, the top version isn't legal on public roads, and very few will be built. Spend on the electric cars already in your customers' driveways instead.

EV sales dropped in 2026. Isn't the EV wave over?

New sales slowed after the federal tax credit ended, but more than a quarter-million new EVs were still sold in a single quarter, and every one joins the millions already on the road. Service businesses earn money from the cars on the road, not just from this year's sales.

Do EV tires really wear out faster?

Probably somewhat, but the sources disagree. Estimates range from about 5% to 20% faster wear, and some claim no difference with EV-specific tires and good maintenance. What is clear is that weight, instant power and alignment all affect wear, and that rotation and alignment help on any car.

My shop isn't certified for EV repairs. Where do I start?

Start with your technicians. ASE's L3 hybrid/electric vehicle certification builds on its electrical and engine performance tests. Then look at the certification programs of the EV brands you see most, and handle batteries the way EPA recommends.

Is Groundwork affiliated with Tesla or Elon Musk?

No. This paper reports public news coverage of Tesla's demonstration to illustrate a common small-business decision. Groundwork has no affiliation with Tesla, SpaceX or Elon Musk.