Terrafugia this week unveiled plans for a plug-in hybrid
version of its flying car, or "street-legal airplane," as it's known.
The four-seat, vertical takeoff and landing plug-in hybrid is known as the TF-X. It is still in the planning stages, but concept images show a vehicle that looks like a sedan with wings. Avoid traffic jams by escaping to the sky; one image (below) shows the TF-X flying high over farmland.
In a video demo of the TF-X (below), Terrafugia said owners need only "tell it where you want to go; it flies for you." No runway is needed; the device operates much like a helicopter thanks to twin 600 hp electric motor pods, which have 16 separate motors per pod. "A megawatt of power lifts you," according to Terrafugia.
The motor pods fold forward during flight, teaming up with a 300 hp engine, which recharges the batteries. The propellers then fold for cruise, and the engine takes over, reaching speeds of 200 mph. Terrafugia promised a range of 500 miles. The TF-X will land for you, though passengers can override the system if a landing is unsafe.
"This is the right time for us to begin thinking about the future of the company beyond Transition development," Terrafugia CEO and CTO Carl Dietrich said in a statement. "We are passionate about continuing to lead the creation of a flying car industry and are dedicating resources to lay the foundations for our vision of personal transportation."
The Transition, Terrafugia's first flying car, completed its first test flight
in April 2012. The Transition is a two-seater vehicle with folding
wings that can be driven on highways and flown in the air with unleaded
gasoline. During the test flight, which lasted about eight minutes, the
Transition reached an altitude of 1,400 feet above the ground.Terrafugia is "nearing production" of the Transition, which the company said could solve many congestion and transportation challenges. The Transition can fly in an out of over 5,000 public airports in the U.S. and is legal to drive on public roads and highways, the company said. It can be reserved on the Terrafugia website now and will cost about $279,000.
Terrafugia said talks with the FAA about the TF-X hybrid "have demonstrated their willingness to consider innovative technologies and regulatory solutions that are in the public interest and enhance the level of safety of personal aviation."
Massachusetts-based Terrafugia - Latin for "escape the Earth" - describes itself as an aerospace company rather than a car manufacturer. It was founded by pilots and engineers from MIT, like Dietrich, who received his BS, MS and Ph.D. from MIT's Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=bp2TWNpTA7s
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