Unbelievable! Have you heard about the flying cars?
Modern technology has gone as far ahead as to offer amazing, sometimes weird and completely unimaginable things. Just a hundred years ago, the humankind couldn’t imagine we could communicate while staying hundreds of kilometers away from each other, hearing each other’s voices and seeing each other’s faces. But now, we do it as a common thing as we’ve got smartphones, tablets, laptops and other wonderful devices.
For the moment, it seems completely unbelievable that in the nearest future we will be able to drive the flying cars. Seems, like Toyota ventures to make Jeles’ Verne dream come true.
Japanese Toyota
If there is any possibility that the humankind would enjoy driving flying cars, a Japanese manufacturer Toyota has already claimed its rights for the patent of such vehicle. Instead of Toyota’s typical coup-style or hatchback, the car of new generation will have a propeller on its back, meaning that it will operate with a rear motor. When grounded, the wings will stow underneath the body panels – that’s why the design is featured with the shape-shifting fuselage with tensile skin. The patent application released in late June, 2016 states the following: “Existing aero cars include wings used during the flight mode that are designed to fold against the fuselage in the land mode. Storing wings in such a manner can subject the wings to damage, reduce fuel economy, and limit operator aft and side views in the land mode”.
Slovakian AeroMobil
Not only Japanese car manufacturers are planning on producing flying cars. The Slovakian AeroMobil intend to release its first flying car already in 2017. The first commercially available model is expected to be a two-seater with a 435-mile range, take-off speed of 81 miles per hour, top air speed at around 124 miles per hour and an autopilot function. Vaculik expects these cars to be appealing to luxury car fans and flight enthusiasts, so the price tag will fall somewhere between the offerings from Tesla Motors and a small plane of a couple hundred thousand dollars.
American Terrafugia
Americans do not trail far behind the others and are preparing their own flying car. Terrafugia company is getting ready to come out with the Transition – a folding-wing, two-seat, roadable aircraft, which is designed to fly like a typical Light Sport Aircraft in the air and drive like a typical car on the ground. It is expected to fit in a standard construction single-car garage, run on premium unleaded automotive gasoline, and convert between flight and drive modes just within a minute.