We all have been reading about flying cars from the past 5 years. However, most of us were pretty sure that this concept won’t see reality in the near future. A vehicle that can run on roads like a normal car and then take off as an aeroplane; this till now appeared to be an ideal plot of a Sci-Fi movie, but not something that we will be able to use in our practical conditions. However, a Dutch manufacturer named PAL-V has now launched the world’s first commercial flying car. Let’s see what the new invention is all about and how can it change the way we travel.
Named the PAL-V Liberty, it is a Gyroscope based helicopter-cum-car which has a seating capacity of 2 people. The vehicle gets a 3-wheeler layout. It has a roof mounted primary rotor while the tail gets a secondary rotor. These two rotors can be folded into a compact structure to drive the car around in tight spots, while they need to be extended to make the car fly.
It gets two engines – one of them powers the rear rotor while the other powers the wheels. The primary rotor above the roof isn’t powered by an engine or motor. Instead, it rotates using the air flow when the vehicle is running at speeds of around 50 km/h. As a result, in order to fly the PAL-V Liberty, you need an empty stretch of tarmac of around 400 metres. What you also need is a pilot’s licence. This might limit the target customers being aimed by the Dutch manufacturer.
Let us now talk about numbers. The PAL-V Liberty produces 99 BHP of power during its on-road operations. It can accelerate from 0-100 km/h in under 9 seconds while the top speed is 160 km/h. Change to flight mode, and the PAL-V is good to go for a distance of 400 km or a flying time of 4.3 hours (whichever is earlier). It can fly in the speed range of 50 km/h to 180 km/h, while the achievable height during flight is 3,500 metres. However, it must be noted that the vehicle can fly only if the occupant + luggage weight is less than 246 kg.
The PAL-V Liberty is thus the first flying car in the world to go on commercial sales. However, the company is just accepting bookings for the vehicle at the moment as the deliveries are expected to start by the end of 2018. The PAL-V Liberty is priced at $599,000, which is equivalent to around Rs. 3.78 crores.
Interested in buying one? Head-on to the company’s official website to register for the world’s first flying car and know more details.