Growing up, The Jetsons portrayed a hopeful look into the future and the ease that technology could offer the human race. Certainly, most of us did not think that we would experience these advances in engineering in our lifetime, but we must all concede that it is indeed happening now and at a very rapid rate. Lets face it, laptops, smartphones, and self-driving vehicles are here to stay, and its only a matter of time before the latest technological advancements in mobility are our norm.
In just the past few years, several prototypes for flying automobiles have been developed. At the Geneva car show, yet another flying car was revealed. This version, unlike the examples coming out of Silicon Valley, relies on technology that has been with us for some time. The flying car, hailing out of the Netherlands and known as the PAL-V Liberty, is a three-wheeled, two-seater car/gyroplane. It is driven by two engines and utilizes a rear-mounted propeller to push it forward. There is also a roof-mounted rotor that stabilizes the vehicle and acts as a parachute. The car runs on regular gasoline and can drive up to 105 miles per hour, fly up to 110 mph and can fly about 300 miles on a single tank of gas. This vehicle is targeted to individual drivers and will cost approximately $600,000. A niche market for sure.
On the other side of the spectrum, it was announced in February that Silicon Valley-based company, Joby Aviation, had received funding to build their prototype of an air TAXI. It is driven entirely by electric propulsion and aims to offer point-to-point transportation for the masses with one mission in mind; to save people an hour a day in commute times. The idea is more complex and will require steep advances in infrastructure. Similar to the model developed by Tesla for their charging stations, Joby Aviations vision to connect you via Vertiports promises to get you to your destination five times faster than driving, with zero emissions.
Thanks to advances in software, electric motors, batteries, and other components, the space for flying cars or air taxis is becoming a reality. I dont know about you, but in the words of George Jetson himself, Jane, stop this crazy thing! Our team at Antero Automotive stays up-to-date on all the latest and greatest in tools and technology, not matter how crazy it is. Schedule an appointment, or stop by our shop located at 6615 S Dayton Street Greenwood Village, CO 80111.