This Is The World's First Practical Flying Car

2013-06-08T01:28:00.000Z

The idea of a flying car has fascinated dreamers and aviation geeks alike since humans first got off the ground with powered flight.

The concept has obvious advantages: the "go anywhere, anytime" freedom of an automobile without any of the traffic congestion that terrestrial drivers face on a daily basis.

Featured in movies like Back to the Future and Blade Runner, this mode of transportation has been restricted to the realm of science-fiction due to the complexity of the drivetrain required and the training that would be needed to operate such a vehicle.

Now, a company called Terrafugia has put forward their vision for a practical flying car. Using electric-gasoline hybrid technology from the cutting edge of the automobile industry and autopilot technology adopted from the aviation industry, the company thinks they have what's needed to bring a flying car to the mass market.

The concept started as the Terrafugia Transition, a plane that can be driven on the road

Unfortunately, the Transition had to take off and land from an airport, so Terrafugia began working on a second generation concept

Which came to be known as the Terrafugia TF-X, an electric-hybrid flying car with a range of 500 miles

It'll have room to fit four comfortably

It'll fit in a standard single-car garage

On the ground it relies on an electric drivetrain, so you won't always be filling it up with gas

You can also charge the batteries by plugging it in at home

The arms have electric motors to get you into the air

The arms assist the main engine in getting up to speed

Once you're in the air, the gasoline engine charges the batteries for driving

The Terrafugia will land itself, no input needed

If you run low on fuel in the middle of a flight, it'll automatically find a safe spot to land. The driver has final say on whether a spot is safe for landing.

Here's the concept video for the Terrafugia TF-X

More cars ...

This Is The World's First Practical Flying Car

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

This Is The World's First Practical Flying Car

The concept started as the Terrafugia Transition, a plane that can be driven on the road

Unfortunately, the Transition had to take off and land from an airport, so Terrafugia began working on a second generation concept

Which came to be known as the Terrafugia TF-X, an electric-hybrid flying car with a range of 500 miles

It'll have room to fit four comfortably

It'll fit in a standard single-car garage

On the ground it relies on an electric drivetrain, so you won't always be filling it up with gas

You can also charge the batteries by plugging it in at home

The arms have electric motors to get you into the air

The arms assist the main engine in getting up to speed

Once you're in the air, the gasoline engine charges the batteries for driving

The Terrafugia will land itself, no input needed

If you run low on fuel in the middle of a flight, it'll automatically find a safe spot to land. The driver has final say on whether a spot is safe for landing.

Here's the concept video for the Terrafugia TF-X

More cars ...

Click here for our complete guide to electric cars >

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

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Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know