What’s been billed as the world’s first four-seater flying taxi has been unveiled by a Slovak engineering firm – and it could be in use in just five years.
AeroMobil’s AM NEXT, which is the second model of its part-supercar, part-light aircraft vehicle, is expected to launch in 2027.
It is able to switch from one mode to another in less than three minutes.
The company hopes its airline service will save commuters “significant” time when traveling distances of 100 to 500 miles between major cities.
What has been billed as the world’s first four-seater flying taxi has been unveiled by a Slovak engineering firm (pictured) – and it could be in use in just five years
AeroMobil’s AM NEXT, the second model of its part-supercar, part-light aircraft, is set to launch in 2027
The company hopes its airline service will save commuters ‘significant’ time when traveling distances of 100 to 500 miles between major cities
He said passengers could enjoy “the convenience and comfort of a door-to-door single seat, whether working, resting, playing or just enjoying the view.”
No details have yet been released on the cost of the flying taxi or the prices that will be charged to passengers.
AM NEXT follows AeroMobil’s 4.0 flying car, which was first unveiled at the Paris International Air and Space Show held at Paris-Le Bourget Airport in June 2017.
It was designed as a luxury 2-seater personal vehicle that could fly at a top speed of 223 mph (360 km/h).
Its top road speed is 160 km/h.
Besides the hefty price tag – between 1.2 million and 1.5 million euros ($1.3 million to $1.6 million) – owners also need a pilot’s license to use it in the air. .
By comparison, AeroMobil has yet to unveil specs for the AM NEXT ride-sharing service.
Patrick Hessel, AeroMobil CEO, said, “We are thrilled to announce the groundbreaking second model of AeroMobil’s true flying car.
“After AM4.0, the world’s first production flying car, AM NEXT will disrupt and democratize the regional travel market.
“It will provide a better, and in many cases previously unavailable, solution for trips in the 100-500 mile range.”
AeroMobil said the total market for the ride-sharing service is estimated at around $70bn (£53bn) a year in North America alone.
With its flying cars, the company aims to make personal transportation more efficient by offering the choice of transportation on the road or in the sky – and ending traffic jams forever.
Hessel added, “AeroMobil will leverage AM4.0’s engineering and regulatory proof of concept, along with its premium brand, into AM NEXT’s consumer air travel service.
No details have yet been released on the cost of the flying taxi (pictured) or the prices that will be charged to passengers
AeroMobil said passengers could enjoy “the convenience and comfort of a door-to-door single seat, whether working, resting, playing or just enjoying the view.”
The company said the total market for the ridesharing service is estimated to be around $70bn (£53bn) a year in North America alone.
“Coinciding with the announcement of AM NEXT, we are visiting the 2-seater AM4.0 flying car prototype in the United States, with a public screening and private appointments for investors, buyers and operators.”
AeroMobil said its flying car technology uses existing infrastructure (more than 10,000 airstrips in the United States), accommodates existing automotive and aviation regulations, and has significantly greater range than eVTOL craft. (electric vertical take-off and landing).
Its vehicles are the result of more than 10 years of research and development by a team of engineers and designers from luxury car and supercar manufacturers BMW, Aston Martin, McLaren, Mercedes Benz and Ferrari.
They also come from aerospace leaders including Lockheed Martin, Rolls Royce, Airbus and Diamond Aircraft, among others.
AeroMobil said its flying car technology uses existing infrastructure (more than 10,000 airstrips in the United States), accommodates existing automotive and aviation regulations, and has significantly greater range than eVTOL craft. .
Its vehicles are the result of more than 10 years of research and development by a team of engineers and designers from luxury and supercar manufacturers BMW, Aston Martin, McLaren, Mercedes Benz and Ferrari.
AM NEXT follows AeroMobil’s 4.0 flying car (pictured), which was first unveiled at the Paris International Air Show held at Paris–Le Bourget Airport in June 2017
WHAT ARE AEROMOBIL’S MAIN COMPETITORS?
European aircraft manufacturer Airbus is working on a flying taxi. It was first called Vahana (pictured) but has now been merged with another design and renamed CityAirbus Nextgen
AeroMobil faces fierce competition from several other companies, which are striving to be the first to have a publicly available flying car for use in the skies:
Airbus
European aircraft manufacturer Airbus was working on a driverless flying taxi called Vahana with the intention of first having a pilot and then being autonomous.
He then merged the design of this with another eVTOL and renamed the city air taxi CityAirbus Nextgen.
Urban Aeronautics
Israeli tech company Urban Aeronautics originally designed its people-carrying drone as an “aerial mule” for military use.
Dubbed the Cormorant, this vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft is capable of carrying 1,000 pounds 31 miles, allowing it to deliver supplies to war zones and transport injured soldiers to safety.
In 2020, Urban Aeronautics partnered with Singaporean company Ascent to accelerate the commercialization of the CityHawk, a hydrogen/electric VTOL aircraft that succeeded the Cormorant.
German tech company Lilium Aviation is working on a two-seater plane that will take off vertically using 36 electric fan motors arranged along its wings
Lilium Aviation
German technology company Lilium Aviation is working on a two-seater aircraft that will take off vertically using 36 electric fan motors arranged along its wings.
The egg-shaped plane, called Lilium, has been advertised as high as the European Space Agency (ESA), which touts its environmental benefits as well as not having to land at an airport.
Hang 184
Chinese drone maker EHang has flight tested a drone carrying a person in Nevada.
The vehicle is a four-armed cockpit fitted with a total of eight rotors.
The company says the 184 is autonomous, so all the passenger has to do is enter their destination into the smartphone app, sit down, and let the drone take over.
EHang 184 could be ready in the coming years.
Terrafugia, based in Woburn, Massachusetts, is working on a “flying car” called TF-X – a car with folding arms and rotors for vertical takeoff and landing
Terrafugia TF-X
Terrafugia, based in Woburn, Massachusetts, is working on a “flying car” called TF-X – a car with folding arms and rotors for vertical takeoff and landing.
The TF-X is still in development and a launch date remains uncertain.
Volocopter
The Volocopter VC200 takes flight thanks to its 18 softly humming rotors and electric propulsion.
It is flown one-handed with a single joystick, which has been shown to reduce the number one cause of helicopter fatalities: human error.
Volocopter achieved production certification for its eVTOL in July last year.
