It is sleek,cone-shaped,and a little perplexing- exactly what fictional movies would give a villain for a quick escape.It would come to life at the click of a button on a computer screen, rising up from land and slowly speeding in the sky. Are you feeling confused? I’m talking about a Flying Car.
Who hasn’t fantasized about a flying car? Taking a ride in the sky in your car? This dream is one step closer to becoming a reality. The world’s first flying car is here: Liberty by PAL-V. Let’s know more about it.
Flying Car: PAL-V
PAL-V, a Dutch company renowned for manufacturing flying vehicles,has announced the approval of the world’s first commercial flying automobile,Liberty.
Inspired by nature,engineered by men,and evolved over time, the company says,“The PAL-V Liberty is a pioneering product that inaugurates the era of the flying cars.”It is a blend of safety and pleasure, intended to satisfy the most demanding customers’ needs.
The flying automobile,which is powered by dual engines, has self-stabilization,curve stabilization,and can accommodate two passengers at once.It can also carry 20 kilos of luggage and has a maximum take-off weight of 910 kilos.
In drive mode,it has a maximum speed of 160 km/h, 0 to 100 km/h acceleration time in less than nine seconds, and a claimed range of 1,315 kilometres.
In flight mode, it can attain a top speed of 180 km/h courtesy to its engine, which has an output voltage of 200 horsepower. It has a range of 500 kilometres and can operate at a maximum height of 3,500 metres. To take off, it requires 330 metres of track.
Detailed Specifications of the Automobile
Drive Mode
Engine Power: 99 bhp(brake horsepower)
Top Speed: 160 km/h
0–100 km/h: 9 seconds
Fuel Economy: 13.15 km/l
Range: 1315 km
Length: 4000 mm
Width: 2000 mm
Height: 1700 mm
Flying Mode
Engine Power: 200 bhp
Top Speed: 180 km/h
Maximum Operating Altitude: 11,500 feet
Fuel Economy: 5.5 km/l (or about 26 litres per hour)
Length: 6100 mm
Width: 2000 mm
Height: 3200 mm
According to the company, it takes around 10 minutes for the car to make the transition from driving to flying mode and vice versa. All it needs for takeoff is a 330-meter straight road.This two-seater flying automobile can also carry a maximum weight of 264 kg and has an ideal cruise speed of 140 km/h for maximum fuel efficiency. At these speeds, it would take little over four hours to go from Delhi to Udaipur,or 6.5 hours for a Mumbai to Bangalore flight.
More About This Flying Car
After flying and driving the trial prototypes in 2012, PAL-V began designing its commercial product, the Liberty. Liberty just completed the rigorous European road admission tests and is now permitted on public roads with an official licence plate.This concluded a rigorous and extensive driving test programme that was being carried out on test tracks since February 2020.The PAL-V has passed all of its tests, including high-speed ovals, braking and emission tests, and noise pollution testing, and is now ready to hit the road.
This concludes that the PAL-V Liberty has been granted road approval and may now be seen on European roads. With this permission, PAL-V is one step closer to being delivered to customers.The Liberty commercial flying car costs a base price of $399,000 (about Rs. 2.52 crore) excluding taxes.It has also been undergoing aviation certification with EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) since 2015,and the completion is expected only in 2022. Deliveries of the product will start only after that.
When Would India Meet This Pal?
PAL-V is planning to set up an automobile manufacturing plant in Gujarat. The production is expected to begin in 2021,and the company believes that Gujarat provided optimal conditions for its production plant.
Carlo Maasbommel,Vice President of PAL-V, states that his firm picked Gujarat because of its “world class infrastructure, ease of doing business, improved port and logistic services.”
The state government has assured that it will assist PAL-V in obtaining the necessary approvals from the central government for the production plant in Gujarat.The plant in Gujarat will also assist PAL-V in exporting its products to many European nations, and orders for 110 flying cars have already been received.
What Does The Future Hold?
The company PAL-V states that the reservation book for the car is filling up faster than expected. Potential PAL-V car-flyers are new to aviation, and therefore many of them have begun gyroplane flying licence training at the PAL-V Fly-Drive Academy. We can definitely envision a bright future with numerous firms introducing flying vehicles very soon.
In such a rapidly changing world of global transportation, PAL-V’s decision to establish its production plant in India promises well not just for the firm, but also for the state and the country. Even if the laws and regulations governing flying vehicles are today clearly missing, India may emerge as a viable market for flying vehicles in the future.