Flying cars have long been the stuff of science fiction, but could we be seeing them on the market sooner than you think? Recent technological advances have made the idea more feasible than ever before, and a few inventive companies are now hoping to have them available as early as next year.
For auto sales students, the prospect of a flying cars coming to the market is intriguing to say the least. With hybrids, zero emissions vehicles, and self-driving cars already on the horizon, there really is no telling what type of vehicle will win the race to become the car of the future. If these roadable plane prototypes are successful, things could become even more interesting.
So will you be selling flying cars once you graduate? Read on to find out about some of the vehicles currently being developed, and the challenges they face in becoming viable commercial products.
Aeromobil: Could Students in Car Sales Training See Flying Cars on the Market by 2017?
The Aeromobil 3.0 is a surprisingly stylish 2-seater road-ready car with stowable wings, and has a top air speed of 130km with a 199km range. While no release date has been set, the Slovakian company is confident the vehicle will be available to the public by 2017, and is optimistic about its commercial viability.
Auto sales college students will be interested to note that CEO Juraj Vaculik expects the price of the vehicle to be less than “a couple of hundred thousand dollars,” meaning that—while it will fall into the higher end of the auto market—it will be no more expensive than a luxury car like a Ferrari.
See the Aeromobil 3.0 in action here:
Terrafugia: Two Flying Car Concepts Auto Sales College Students Should Know About
American corporation Terrafugia has also been developing its prototype, the Transition, since 2006. It hopes to begin deliveries next year, with the vehicle already having taken test flights. At present, the vehicle, which resembles a small plane with retractable wings, is being marketed towards recreational pilots who don’t want to pay for hangar space.
However, Terrafugia is working on another concept which is targeted towards consumers. The TF-X, which the company says will take between 8-12 years to develop, is a four-seat hybrid vehicle with twin electric propellers that enable it to take off from anywhere without the use of runways.
You can check out an illustration of the TF-X here:
Challenges Facing Flying Cars Explained for Auto Sales College Students
Of course, it isn’t the first time inventors have tried to make flying cars a reality, and car sales training students could be forgiven for being sceptical about these latest projects. The first roadable plane prototype—Glenn Curtiss’s Autoplane—was actually introduced as early as 1917, and various similar projects have failed to get off the ground over the years.
One major problem facing these companies is that the cost of development makes it hard to produce the vehicles at a reasonable price while remaining profitable. Current air space restrictions and regulations would also have to be relaxed significantly to make mass adoption possible, making it even more challenging for companies to convince investors and customers of a concept’s worth.
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