Flying electric car takes off at Geneva Motor Show

A new electric flying car prototype could potentially end traffic jams once and for all. Designed by Italdesign and Airbus, the Pop.Up vehicle drives on roads like a normal car, until […]

A new electric flying car prototype could potentially end traffic jams once and for all.

Designed by Italdesign and Airbus, the Pop.Up vehicle drives on roads like a normal car, until the modular propeller system is attached and the wheels are taken off – at this point it can take off vertically and fly through the air like a helicopter.

The autonomous vehicle, which was launched at the Geneva Motor Show today, has been designed to serve as a futuristic taxi to cut congestion in increasingly populated cities.

Its creators say travellers would plan their journey and book their trip through a mobile app, which would suggest the best transport solution according to the time of day, cost, traffic congestion and ridesharing demands.

Once passengers reach their destination, the air and ground modules with the capsule autonomously would return to dedicated recharge stations to wait for their next customers.

It is capable of travelling for 62 miles on a single charge.

Mathias Thomsen, General Manager for Urban Air Mobility at Airbus said: “Adding the third dimension to transportation networks will without a doubt improve the way we live and how we get from A to B.

“Successfully designing and implementing solutions that will work both in the air and on the ground requires a joint reflection on the part of both aerospace and automotive sectors, alongside collaboration with local government bodies for infrastructure and regulatory frameworks.”

The Pop.Up system is expected to launch between 2024 and 2027.

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