This is less a flying car than it is a drive-able helicopter. The motor vehicle transforms into a “flying car” in 10-15 minutes, which undercuts the dream of being stuck in traffic and suddenly taking off and leaving the riffraff below you.
The PAL-V Sport will cost an eye-watering $400,000, while the Pioneer will make you want to cry at $600,000. That extra 200 grand will give you at-home training, power heating, and an electronic flight instrument display, along with a few other extras.
The Amsterdam-based company has been testing its concepts for years, and recently opened a flying car school in Roosevelt, Utah. It will start manufacturing the Pioneer for “early clients” in late 2017. The company claims no rules or regulations need to be changed in the majority of countries for the vehicles to be allowed on roads and in the air, but we suspect governments will take a more hands-on approach if these flying pods ever start shipping.
To reserve a Liberty, you will need to find $10,000, $25,000, and courage, to put down a non-refundable deposit for the Sport and Pioneer, respectively.
The first commercial 'flying car' is available for pre-order. pic.twitter.com/6SoIbjMIHW
— Business Insider (@businessinsider) March 27, 2017
Beam me to Utah, Scottie.
This product is heartily endorsed by the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA).
But Astro will cost you $900 grand….talking dogs are much more rare….
For now, the price tag leaves it in the Doctor Killer status.
My friend bought a used Cessna 150 for $15,000. It was in really good condition. He flies in to airports where private pilot groups have a courtesy car he can borrow for free.
What’s the interest you could likely earn on $400,000 minus $15,000 these days?
for avg commute, a net zero
20-30 min to configure / reconfigure each way
30 min commute = max gain +10 min
for 400-600 thousand
sounds like a look-at-me investment
I wonder what it costs to insure for liability
Will it cut down my commute time from the bedroom to my home office? If I can get it down from 20 seconds to 12 seconds that’ll give me 8 more seconds to comment and waste your time.
PHenry. I’m with you man!
It’s a gyrocopter so you need a running start like a fixed wing craft. If you’re stuck in traffic you would still be stuck in traffic.
$600,000? Damn, that means I’ll have to sell my Tesla…
I get it – expensive, impractical, doesn’t really save time, possibly dangerous. But I want one.
Had an uncle that crashed an ultralight and smashed
both legs.
Not a chance in hell.
Just great. I ride a motorcycle almost everywhere I go, and NOW I have to worry about these Latt’e slurping, cell phone texting, karaoke singing morons falling out of the sky.
Poor Lazlo MARCH 28, 2017 AT 6:32 PM “I wonder what it costs to insure for liability?”
Speaking of insurance what’s it going to cost to insure “driverless” cars? Shouldn’t it be Zero, since they’re so safe?