Will the World Ever Have Flying Cars?

It might sound like a pie-in-the-sky dream, but flying cars could be commercially available in 2024. There are some hurdles that might keep these cars grounded.

Cars are beginning to take flight, and some have proven they can actually go from one airport to another in the air. In fact, the hosts of The Grand Tour were part of an airborne car exhibition during the latest episode, called EuroCrash. If this is the beginning, regulations, and rules will need to be put in place to handle increased air traffic.

While the details are being sorted, these are seven flying cars that could become a common site in the future.

Pal-V Liberty

Pal-V International is a company based in the Netherlands that has created the Liberty Sport, a flying machine that converts from a three-wheeled car into a two-passenger gyroplane in less than five minutes. This new vehicle isn’t exactly fast, with a top speed below 100 mph and a flight range of 250 miles with two passengers or 310 miles with one. The Liberty Sport looks like a helicopter but requires a short airstrip to take off.

Samson Switchblade

Samson Sky, an Oregon-based company, created the Switchblade to be a flying and street-legal vehicle. This flying car fits two passengers and has three wheels, much like the Liberty Sport. The Switchblade is expected to be relatively affordable at $170,000, but a Limited edition model might come at a much higher price of $770,000. When activated for flight mode, the wings swing out, and the tail extends to create the flight features required for this car to hit the skies.

Aska A5

Aska hails from California and the A5 is a helicopter-style vehicle that can also travel on public roads. Using a helipad, the A5 can take off vertically and then fly as an aircraft, much like the military’s Osprey. The A5 can travel for 250 miles at 150 mph while in flight. When in car mode, this A5 can travel up to 70 mph on the highway. This project is so far along that Aska expects to develop autonomous technology for the A5, whether it’s on the road or in the air.

Klein Vision AirCar

Klein Vision, front Slovakia, offers the AirCar as one of the many flying cars in development. This car looks like a sports car and a tank combined. The tail extends, and wings unfold from a compartment when a button is pushed. This changes the AirCar from a driving car to a two-passenger aircraft. This car is expected to be priced pretty high, with the top figure being $1 million. Currently, Klein Vison is seeking certifications in Europe to begin selling this new car.

Alef Model A

Alef offered its concept machine recently. The Model A can take to the air and fly over the California landscape, staying close to home. Alef claims the Model A is the only flying vehicle that also offers street-legal driving features and vertical-takeoff capabilities. The Model A is battery-powered, making it an EV that could be great for future drivers and pilots alike. This vehicle can travel for 200 miles on the road or 110 miles in the air when fully charged. This distance doesn’t offer much range but could make a commute much easier.

Doroni H1

Doroni intends to certify the H1 as a Light Sport Aircraft under FAA regulations, but it can drive on some highways. The H1 is an eVTOL, which typically is used to describe air taxis that generally don’t have any wheels. The Doroni H1 won’t drive long distances, but it can go a few places away from an airstrip. It only takes 20 hours for anyone with a driver’s license to learn to fly this aircraft and take it to the skies.

Maverick Flying Car

If you’re looking for one of the flying cars with a name that’s on the nose, this is that car. The Maverick comes from Florida’s I-TEC Education Center and is certified and available for sale. This small driving aircraft is shaped like a buggy and is being sold for recreational use. The Maverick could be used to reach a remote area, with its flight capability. It only takes 300 feet to get off the ground while also being street-legal and pretty quick to 60 mph.

These seven flying cars show that they are part of the future, which means the FAA will need to start making regulations and requirements for a whole new class of vehicles as they take to the skies.