The future is nowish. Popular automakers — including BMW & Toyota — are racing to get their new flying car models on the market with a new age of travel on the precipice of taking off. The new category of aircraft has been termed eVTOL — which is an acronym for “electric vertical take-off and landing,” in reference to the way the vehicles are able to fly.
eVTOLs take off and land vertically and have the ability to hover — making them more akin to helicopters than cars or planes.
There is a wide range of concepts presented by the different companies with each modeling their own version of the future of air travel.
BMW Skai
BMW’s Designworks has developed a four-seated, Hydrogen-powered, electric vehicle designed as an “urban air mobility system.” The “Skai” has six electric motors and will reportedly reach speeds of 118 miles per hour.
As for safety features, the craft is able to stay airborne on four of its motors should two malfunction — and in the case of total engine failure, the Skai is outfitted with a parachute.
A website for the BMW product calls it, “one of the most exciting things to happen to the mobility industry since the invention of the automobile.”
Toyota Joby eVTOL
Toyota purchased Joby Aviation’s eVTOL for $398 million back in 2020 — and the investment is close to paying off. The vehicle has completed three of the five stages needed for certification, according to Top Gear. Joby’s eVTOL will be able to fly at speeds up to 200 miles per hour, according to the manufacturer. The flying vehicle features a V-shaped tail, six propellers, and two seats.
Other Significant Developments
Various other car makers have also announced their own versions. For example, Honda shared on its website that its long-term goal is to create a unification between ground, air, and sea modes of transportation.
Hyundai debuted its sleekly designed Hyundai Spernal S-A2 back at the 2024 CES trade show with eight rotors and V-tail design allow it to reach cruising speeds of 120 miles per hour.
Porsche, Boeing, Archer Aviation, Suzuki and many other players have been busy with the luxury and comfortable designs as well as rushing to the relevant authority approvals to capture this luxury market at the earliest.