We recently reported the first successful test flight of the Terrafugia Transition ‘Flying Car’ prototype. The car did 8 minutes of hang-time and reached altitudes up to 1,400 feet. Visitors at the Big Apple got a closer look at the Flying Car on its official unveil.
The first ever road-legal flying car displayed at 2012 New York Auto Show was one of the two prototypes built for testing. After successfully completing required flight hours, the car will be made production ready within a year.
With technical specs speaking purely on-road, the car has foldable wings that can take it to the skies. With extensive use of aluminum, curb weight of the Transition is 460 kg. Its max takeoff load is 680 kg, leaving only 220 kg useful load. Powering the transition is 1.4-litre water-cooled flat-four Rotax 912ULS, which can pump out a max 100 hp.
Speaking flight, the automated electromechanical folding wings open and a gearbox transmits power to a four-blade pusher propeller just behind the cockpit. In aerial mode, the Transition can do speeds up to 184 kmph with 640 km range, while on land, it can do just about 104 kmph with a range of 960 km. While running on unleaded gasoline, the Transition gives 15 kmpl fuel economy. Moreover, the NHSA has allowed Terrafugia to employ special tyres and windshield necessary for taking the Transition to air.
Priced at $279,000, the company claims they already have 100 bookings with $10,000 deposit for each. Production date is still not confirmed as the company is yet to submit 20 flight hours before sending it for production, however, the company targets producing 24-30 Transitions per year.