Bellwether Industries has showed footage of its first untethered test flights of its prototype flying car that the company plans to bring commercially to the market by 2028.
Called Volar, the prototype is an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft capable of carrying passengers to work or other locations in cities or from city-to-city. Cities and companies are looking for new modes of transportation to help with congestion issues inside cities as well as to provide cleaner transportation technology to meet climate change mandates that are happening globally.
In the video, the single-seat prototype hit an altitude of 13 ft and a top speed of 25 mph. But when the full-scale aircraft is launched it will seat four to five people with a top altitude of 3,000 ft and a top speed of 135 mph with enough power for one-hour flight time.
According to experts, eVTOL aircraft can operate nearly anywhere as they do not need a runway. This means the aircraft could operate from rooftops, parking garages, business offices, retail establishments or even driveways at home. As these vehicles are electric, they would not pump pollutants into the air as much as current aircraft or automobiles.
The video shows the prototype hovering, flying vertically and horizontally, and making quick turns in the air to adjust its trajectory. The rest of the video is a quick montage of the making of the half-sized prototype from its initial design through the production phase.
The full-size aircraft will be tested eventually, with commercial release of the aircraft to consumers and businesses slated for 2028.
