Designers have basically been dreaming of flying cars ever since the first flight took place at the start of the 20th Century. Now, technology has advanced so much that their launch really could be just around the corner.
If you grew up in a German-speaking country, you might well have come across the popular children’s story about the “Fliewatüüt”, an all-in-one vehicle that can fly, swim and drive. It was written by author Boy Lornsen and builds on an age-old dream held by technophiles: to see flying cars criss-crossing our skies one day. Thanks to advancements in drivetrain and battery technology and the possibilities afforded by semi-autonomous features, it now seems that this dream could well become a reality.
Official approval
AirCar – a dual-mode flying car developed by Klein Vision – was officially granted its airworthiness certificate by the Slovakian transport authorities back in January 2022. The pre-production model is powered by a 300-hp combustion engine and is also approved for use on the road. With its variable pitch propeller, the prototype achieves a speed of 300 km/h and a range of 1,000 kilometres.
The gyrocopter principle
Liberty, developed by the Dutch company PAL-V, uses the gyrocopter principle instead of rigid wings. Two Rotax combustion engines give the PAL-V vehicle the power it needs to fly. It has a range of 500 kilometres and a maximum trip time of three hours. Changing over from flight to driving mode takes mere minutes. The PAL-V Liberty is already approved for use on the road in Europe and is currently in the final phase of the airworthiness certification process.
Flying SUV
The working prototype of the Aska 5 was presented for the first time at CES 2023. This eVTOL (electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing) vehicle has four seats and is the size of an SUV. Its hybrid drivetrain (lithium-ion batteries plus petrol-powered range extender) gives the Aska 5 a range of around 400 kilometres in the air. Starting in 2026, the company is also planning an on-demand ride service in major cities using a fleet of Aska vehicles.
Eight propellers
The “Model A” from the American company Alef is expected to enter the market at the end of 2025. It has a driving range of 320 kilometres and a flight range of 180 kilometres. The Model A features a distributed electric propulsion system and its eight propellers are not exposed. It comes with a variety of electronic safety systems, ranging from various stability systems to comprehensive diagnostic functions working in real time and obstacle detection and avoidance systems.
