If you live in the Philippines, chances are you’ve caught yourself wishing that you could fly to your destination just to make it on time. And even if you weren’t in a hurry, the horrendous gridlock surely tends to make people wish they could simply take off and avoid the madness.
Well, if this Slovakian startup had its way, we’d all be given the chance to either drive or fly. The AeroMobil has just been officially confirmed at the recent Top Marques Monaco supercar show, where AeroMobil says that it will begin producing the flying car within a few years.
The AeroMobil prototype is made of lightweight carbon fiber material and is rendered in an aerodynamically efficient teardrop shape. This makes it easy for takeoff and landing, as well as lessens wind drag whether in flight or driven on the ground. Dual mode operation is assured by both the four drive wheels underneath and the extendable wings.
Inside, the two-seat cabin is done in an easy-to-understand control layout and won’t necesrily require rocket or aircraft science to operate. Moreover, the seats are arranged in a way that ensures even weight distribution when in the air.
AeroMobil will be powered by either a pair of electric motors located in the front axle, or a boxer engine that drives a propeller. The former is used when driving on the ground. The latter, meanwhile, generates up to 300hp and transfers power via bespoke transmission for effortless flight. The engines’ lightweight design means optimum operation and efficiency under any condition.
Being a new type of transport, we can expect AeroMobil to cost a princely sum. True enough, only someone who has around 1.2 to 1.5 million euros lying around will be able to afford one. Beyond the cost, it will fit into a regular garage, run on regular unleaded, and won’t necessarily need an entire runway to take off. And who knows? It could begin a whole new form of travel—even for the daily commute. Besides, with cars becoming more powerful by the generation, there seems nowhere to go but up—in the air, that is.
We can expect the AeroMobil to begin production by the year 2020.
