Since 1962, the world has been anxiously awaiting their chance to buy a real version of George Jetson's flying car! However, no matter how many zeros your bank account boasts, a flying car like our friend George's doesn't seem to be coming to a dealership near you anytime soon!
While incredible financial standings can't get you a quiet, foldable, bubble which effortlessly floats through a utopian future; a million dollars or so can buy you an oddly shaped helicopter that rolls!
AeroMobil
Trial and Error
AeroMobil, A small company founded 2010 in Slovakia has made 5 and a half (ish) flying car concepts, one of which crashed in May of 2015. Version 5.0 will be released in 2020 for those willing to pay anywhere between 1.3 and 1.6 million dollars.
The AeroMobil is unable to take off without a runway and considered a "Hybrid." It is quickly able to transition into a shape suitable for driving on normal roads in under a minute.
The number of concept versions and errors in testing may almost be reassuring of the innovation occuring within the company as they constantly redesign their flagship flying car.
Details:
Launch Date: Aeromobil 5.0 is scheduled to launch in 2025
Production: 500 Units
Price: 1.2 - 1.6 Million (Depending on model)
Speed & Range (3.0): 124 mph (Flying Speed), 99 mph (Road Speed) 435 mi (Flying Range) 544 mi (Road Range)
Capacity: Two
Company: Private (CEO: Juraj Vaculík)
Terrafugia
The Ugly Duckling
Much like the other flying cars on this list, the Terrafugia has a prototype and a far off concept. The first version has "graced" both the streets and the sky but the public has yet to see the second, more visually pleasing version outside of renders. Terrafugias ownership by a daughter company of Mercedes Benz may help provide the necessary finances to bring such an outlandish concept to the consumer market.
Details:
Launch Date: The company promised the car would go on sale in 2019 but there are no deliveries known to the public so far
Production: Unknown
Price: Estimated Around $150,000-350,000
Speed & Range: Unknown
Capacity: Two
Company: Daimler (Owner of Mercedes Benz)
PAL-V
The Sleek One
Looking more like a helicopter than a car, the PAL-V gives us an idea of how flying components could fold quickly to maintain the sleek profile neccesarry to navigate roads. This flying, driving hybrid will be avalible once certification requirments are completed in 2021.
Details:
Launch Date: First delivery expected in 2021
Production: Unknown
Price: $400,000-600,000
Speed & Range: 110 mph (Max Flying Speed), 99 mph (Road Speed) 310 mi (Flying Range) 800 mi (Road Range)
Capacity: Two
Owner: Private (CEO: Robert Dingemanse)
Aska
The Unproven One
American/Israeli based startup Next Future Transportation (NFT) revealed the ASKA flying car it hopes you will use to float across gridlock in 2025. ASKA users will access flights based on affordable monthly subscription fee. Despite having a presence for hiring and recent updates, a photo or video showing the craft has yet to be released as its capabilities remain unproven. Test flights are expected early 2020 as we hope to catch a closer glimpse at what the ASKA will look like outside of animations.
Details:
Launch Date: First delivery 2025
Production: Unknown
Price: $200,00 at launch, low as $50,000 later on OR $200-300 monthly fee
Speed & Range: 340 mph (Max Flying Speed W/ 1 Passenger), 150 mi (Flying Range), Unknown Road Speed & Range
Capacity: Three
Owner: Next Future Transportation (NFT)
What is holding flying cars back?
Everything on this list is far off from what the Jetsons promised. A working, flying car, has yet to be released looking as sleek as concepts. But it's more than looks!...
Runway Space
Noise
Crashes
Flying cars don't work with our current city setup without making major changes to flight infastructure! Airborne cars would most likely need to be completely atonomous to avoid crashes. City noise would drastically increase as the constant hum of engine noise becomes louder. Did we mention the runway space most of these concept vehicles would need?
The Future of Flying Cars
The next 10 years will be unlikely to see flying cars gracing the sky as road automation technology and clean energy cars continue to be the leading recipients of funding from large companies! Other transportation methods have been deemed more feasible because of their simplicity and low cost compared to flying vehicles.
Boring Tunnels
The Future of Flying Cars
Boring tunnels for example, provide a better answer to more efficent transportation in the next 10 years. Tunnel infastructure can be built and managed with current technology and has been used for a while for mass transit with underground trains. The Boring Tunnel would be able to transport riders quickly and with little cost. Flying cars are not only expensive but complex and incompatible with an infastructure that could be built in the next 10 years!
Its difficult to tell who the winner is in the race to build an accesible, mass produced flying car since a tangible example doesnt currently exist. We have seen big promises but no working result and it is difficult to determine the obstacles companies will face as they attempt to make flying cars a reality on a large scale.
