#FutureIsHere: BMW-powered 'flying car' completes its first-ever inter-city flight
Slovakian company Klein Vision's dual-mode car-aircraft vehicle, called AirCar, has completed its first-ever inter-city flight. The vehicle was driven by inventor Professor Stefan Klein and co-founder Anton Zajac. It completed a 35-minute journey from Nitra to Bratislava and marked its 142nd successful landing. It has two test models - Prototype 1 and Prototype 2 - but the production version is yet to be revealed.
The vehicle has retractable wings and a transparent roof
The AirCar has a futuristic design, featuring deployable/retractable wings and tail, a transparent roof, a hood with vents, sleek headlights, and four designer wheels with covers on them. The hybrid vehicle can transform from a car into an airplane in less than three minutes. It can drive like a regular car but requires a runway to take off and land.
It offers two seats and a racing-type steering wheel
The AirCar has a dual-tone 2-seater cabin featuring a partition that divides the driver and passenger areas. It also packs a host of equipment seen on airplanes, a large screen for driver assistance, and a rectangular, 4-spoke, racing-type steering wheel.
The Prototype 2 should deliver a range of 1,000km
The Prototype 1 runs on a 160hp BMW engine and has a fixed-propeller and ballistic parachute. It has flown up to 2,500 meters and recorded a maximum cruising speed of 190km/h. The Prototype 2, with a variable pitch propeller, has an M1 road permit and is fueled by a 300hp engine. It is expected to have a speed of 300km/h and a 1,000km range.
AirCar prototype required an investment of Rs. 18 crore
As per Klein Vision, the AirCar prototype took two years to develop and required an investment of less than €2 million (around Rs. 17.7 crore). However, the final production version of the vehicle is yet to be announced.
