Electric air car of the future does not even use propellers

A fully electric air car has ditched the propellers in favor of a unique propulsion system called CycloRotor. 

As the concept of flying cars edges away from science fiction and closer to reality, new technologies and advancements are being introduced all the time. 

One such development is an unusual take on an eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) vehicle from Austrian-based CycloTech. 

READ MORE! Air Car is the flying car with four rotatable Rolls-Royce jet engines

How does it work?

The company has created an air car called CruiseUp, which uses CycloRotor technology rather than traditional propellers – and has recently landed a $22 million investment to help develop a full-scale prototype. 

According to CycloTech, its new propulsion system will help to ‘reinvent flying’ for the 21st century.

A bold claim – but how does it actually work?

Well, CycloTech’s website explains: “Based on the same principle as the Voith-Schneider-Propeller, CycloTech offers a solution with direct and instant control of magnitude and direction of thrust in a full circle of 360° – up, down forward, backwards – whereas all other propulsion systems basically only push or pull into one single direction.”

What’s the end goal for the air car?

The company is hoping that its system will pave the way for flying cars and claims these could be easily mass-produced in the future. 

Markus Steinke, Chief Development Officer at CycloTech, said: “CycloRotors open the door to a new mass market in sustainable aviation, with the potential for millions of vehicle propulsion units to be produced per year. 

“The long-term goal with our CycloRotors is to turn the vision of the flying car into reality.”

More than $20 million was recently pumped into the company by investors Breeze Invest and Konos Holdings to help fund its work. 

Commenting on the new investment, CycloTech CEO Hans-Georg Kinsky said: “This capital injection is key to launching our commercial activities and the start of revenue generation. 

“The potential applications of our propulsion system are diverse. We are already in talks for its use in the logistics sector, construction industry, as a flying crane, but also high-precision drones for the defense industry are conceivable as well.”

Meanwhile, Chinese EV brand XPeng recently claimed it will be flogging flying cars very soon.

Interesting stuff – and if you fancy checking out a little round-up of some flying cars that could be heading to a street near you soon, then click here to read on.