It’s sort of a car, and kind of a plane – and it’s supposed to be able to fit in your garage.
Since 2006, Terrafugia has been working to develop a true flying car that’s safe, economical and practical to use. Though it’s a massive leap in methods of transportation, and one that may yet be decades away from public trust, it’s exciting nonetheless- and they’ve pushed it closer to reality for almost a decade.
A July 20 press release from the Massachusetts-based company shared new renderings and an animated video of their latest concept development, the Outer Mold Line for the TF-X. On May 10, 2013, they first introduced the TF-X concept as a hybrid car capable of vertical takeoff – no runway necessary. The newest design update is much sleeker than the first TF-X we saw – the headlights are longer, the slope of the hood into the windshieled is smoother and the color patterns look similar to those of a BMW i8.
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These new designs are a huge increase in beauty of design from the Terrafugia Transition. Their first vehicle that was road-legal and capable of flight was successfully tested July 2013, and looked quite a bit like a small private plane with folding wings.
Of course, the TF-X is still a concept. There’s no way to guarantee the impressive numbers in the video above are accurate. A 4-passenger car with autonomous flight, a 500 mile cruising range, a hybrid powertrain, a full megawatt of power, a 200 mph cruising speed and vertical takeoff are all exciting prospects, but at this point, they’re just prospects.
The release tells us a one-tenth scale model of the Outer Mold Line TF-X was successfully developed, and is set to be tested at the MIT Wright Brothers wind tunnel in the near future.
(See Also: Lamborghini Concept S Up for Auction)
Check out the photos of this incredible concept below. If you feel yourself itching for a vehicle with a little more rubber on the ground, be sure to browse our exclusive listings at duPontREGISTRY.com.
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(Source: Terrafugia via Designboom)
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