This is the Airspeeder and it’s the world’s first crewed flying racing car.
With a top speed of 360 km/h (225mph), the Airspeeder Mk4 is being touted as the fastest eVTOL ever made.
It also has a greater range than almost anything else out there.
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Made by Alauda Aeronautics, it has a range of 300km (186 miles).
The company also claims it handles like a Formula 1 car or jet fighter.
It says the incredible handling comes from special artificial intelligence technology.
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So far, the Airspeeder has just about every capability you could want in a flying car, but so far, it’s all just on paper.
Flight testing is currently underway in South Australia, where the eVTOL is being created.
And the first crewed race is scheduled for 2024.
Until then, we have to trust what Alauda Aeronautics says the Airspeeder can do.
Are flying cars the future?
Well, according to Alauda Aeronautics CEO Matt Pearson, they are.
But in order for this to happen, he admits production costs will inevitably need to come down.
“Once we can sell you a flying car for the same price as a Tesla, you’ll quickly see the balance shift… so the potential for people to own and drive their own flying car one day is absolutely enormous,” he said.
“It’s a very exciting time.”
Airspeeder Mk4 Power and performance
The Airspeeder Mk4 is powered by a Thunderstrike Hydrogen Turbogenerator which produces 1,340 hp.
Not only can it reach a top speed of 360km/h, but it can also reach it in just 30 seconds.
The company says the Mk4 will “set the bar for performance and technology in the radical new sport of piloted Airspeeder racing”.
An electric propulsion system is paired with an incredibly low weight of 950 kg, meaning the eVTOL can reach a projected range of 300km while producing near-zero emissions.
Yep, the company says the Airspeeder is non-toxic and produces no emissions except pure water, so it doesn’t cause air pollution.
How is the Airspeeder controlled?
The Mk4 will maneuver using a unique gimballed thrust system.
An Artificial Intelligence flight controller will individually adjust four rotor pairs mounted on lightweight 3D printed gimbals.
It’s actually designed for air racing, so it’s designed for maximum agility at high speeds and low altitudes.
Reveal
The Airspeeder Mk4 will be publicly unveiled at the Southstart innovation festival in Adelaide, Australia on March 7.
