We have heard of cars and planes using biofuels, but we must admit that we never thought we’d hear of a bio-diesel powered flying car! Designed by Gilo Cardozo, the Skycar is a vehicle that has been attached to a paramotor that can actually fly! To prove its capabilities the vehicle will be chartering a voyage from London all the way to the Sahara!
The Skycar consists of a car frame attached to a paramotor. For those not familiar with the the concept of a paramotor, it is effectively a giant fan strapped to something (usually a person) that is powerful enough to propel them. In the case of the Skycar, this means that the motor is attached to a steel chassis which propels the vehicle forward. For lift, the car deploys a flexible wing, similar to a parachute, which can be folded into its trunk.
Such an inventive vehicle would not be possible were it not for advances in aerodynamics and technology. The Skycar’s total weight will be around 1,500lb, and when airborne the car will have a top speed of 110kph and can fly for up to 300km. While on the road, the car can go up to 180kph and will run for 400 kilometres on a tank of ethanol. If something were to go wrong, the car can deploy a parachute while in the air.
The current model is fully functional and street-legal, and future models will feature a snappier design with an aluminum chassis. The vehicle’s first flight will take it across the english channel, and next it will embark upon a 5,000 kilometer trek to Timbuktu. We wish them luck!
+ Skycar Expedition
Via Times Online
Hmm, I think a sail on shipping vessel is a more… eh… feasible idea.
It’s not exactly the Bucky Fuller/Jetsons Inspired Hovercar that I fantasized about as a kid, but it’ll do. I’m a little jealous of the person who gets to say ‘yeah – I’m flying my car to Timbuktu next week’. Is that the ultimate road trip? Can you call it a road trip?