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Jul 11
2009
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Flying cars have always peaked people's interest, but it looks like it'll still be years before they become mainstream - if ever. The hurdles involved in bringing such vehicles to fruition are huge from an engineering standpoint, and probably insurmountable when it comes to regulatory and legal issues. Nonetheless, there's still a bunch of inventors out there who share the dream. Bottom line: There's very few of these things that work.
Moller M400
Paul Moller's flying cars started gracing the pages of Popsci back in the 70's, promising us a futuristic alternative to freeway congestion at an affordable price. Unfortunately, none of his designs ever actually flew - untethered to a crane that is. He began taking deposits for the M400 in 2003 - and quit taking them after the SEC stepped in and charged him with making unsubstantiated claims about the performance of the Skycar. The sole protype of the M400 was offered on eBay a few years ago, at a reserve price of $3.5M. It went unsold. According to its web site, Moller International is still in business.
Terrafugia Transition
While not as cool-looking as the Moller models, the Terrafugia actually flies. Designed by a team of MIT engineers, the Transition is set to be released in 2011 at a cost of just under $200,000.
Parajet Skycar
Here's another type of flying car that works, expected for release in 2010. It uses a paramotor and a parasail, claims a speed of 100mph and will sell for about $80G. Web site.
Others
There's a whole bunch of other models out there in cyberspace, but sadly, few ever get past the Autocad stage. The most promising one that actually flies is another parasail designed by a Russian kid that probably won't break the bank if he ever decides to bring it into production.
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