The flying carsalways an icon of vehicles of the future in science fiction films, are slowly becoming reality. With technological advances in recent years, prototype vehicles capable of vertical take-off and landing are attracting the attention of governments and companies around the world. These vehicles (and the companies that are developing them) promise to revolutionize urban transportation by offering a potentially effective solution to reduce traffic and improve mobility in emergency situations. Among the most interesting prototypes of the moment is theAlef Model A by Alef Aeronautics (a startup owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX) and Hexa of Lift Aircraft, which have already shown some of their potential on the occasion of, respectively, the Mobile World Congress 2024 of Barcelona and the SusHi Tech 2024 of Tokyo. The “takeoff” of these vehicles, however, is still far off, as various obstacles must be resolved, first and foremost the regulatory framework that governments will have to create to regulate their use and the provision of these new means of transport at prices accessible to the masses.
What are flying cars for and how do they work?
At this point someone might ask what would be the use of having flying cars. One of the main benefits would concern a better management of urban mobility of the future. Imagine being able to avoid the traffic congestion of big cities by simply taking off and flying over the streets. This is the goal of companies like Alef Aeronautics, which presented in Barcelona its prototype of a flying car, capable of both driving on the road and flying. Commenting on the very usefulness that a flying car can have, Constantine Kisly (Chief Technology Officer of Alef Aeronautics), reported:
We are committed to solving traffic problems. It is a great challenge for cities and for humanity. And that is what we are doing. We are thinking about using airspace.
The idea is that, with the possibility of taking flight, one can travel more quickly and without the limits imposed by road congestion. But it is not just a question of convenience: these vehicles could become essential in emergency situations, such as the transportation of essential goods in areas affected by natural disasterswhere access by flying vehicles could be significantly more feasible than by rubber-wheeled vehicles.
Regarding the functioning of flying cars, these are able to lift off the ground thanks to a concentration of innovation that combines aeronautical and automotive technologies, which allows these machines to both move on the road and fly in the air. The Alef Model A falls right into this “category”, since thanks to the four small electric propulsion motors present on each wheel and at the eight propellers hidden in the car’s bodywork – a perforated grille weighing 400 kilograms – which give the vehicle the thrust needed to lift itself into the air and fly in any direction. The driver, on the other hand, can sit comfortably inside a tilting cabin.
The operating system of the Hexa flying car is decidedly different, however, with its 18 propellers attached to the top of its single-seater passenger cabin, it resembles the operation of a small helicopter or a large drone.
Electric Flying Car: Technology, Price and Obstacles
The development of flying cars, however easy it may be to generate enthusiasm, still has to face numerous challenges. obstacles. First of all, the technology which, although relatively advanced, It is still in the experimental stage. Existing flying vehicles, such as the Alef Model A and Hexa, are in fact prototypes and, as such, have yet to demonstrate that they are in a condition to operate safely on a large scale.
Then there is the question of the regulations: For flying cars to become an everyday reality, air and land traffic laws will need to be adapted, which could take years (if not decades) of work by the relevant authorities.
Finally, there is the cost problem. At the moment, the purchase price of these cars is very high (Alef Model A for example is around 376 thousand euros), out of reach of most ordinary users. Only with mass production and further technological developments can we hope to lower the costs to levels comparable to those of current automobiles.
