Skip to main content

Flying cars swoop closer to reality with the awesomely absurd AeroMobil 3.0

Folks, it’s just about 15 years into a new millennium and we’re already starting to see stuff like 3D printing and handheld computer tablets become commonplace. We’re ticking off a lot of stuff on our “it’s officially the future” list. Accordingly, Slovakian company Aeromobil is hard at work so that we can tick off a big one: the flying car.

The Aeromobil 3.0 prototype is the latest manifestation of the company’s dream to marry automobile and aircraft. At first glance, it looks more like a plane with folded wings, and you’d be correct in that assumption. The vehicle’s body is a carbon fiber coating stretched over a steel frame. It can accommodate one driver/pilot, passenger, but not much else.

With a four-cylinder Rotax 912 light airplane engine, the Aeromobil is capable of generating around 100-horsepower for its road- and air-going needs. As a car, it’s said to be capable of a top speed of around 99 mph, claiming to get about 30 mpg.

In the air (and to it’s credit, it does indeed fly), a rear mounted propeller keeps the two-seater aloft, capable of achieving an airspeed of 124 mph. It also needs a minimum speed of around 37 mph to keep it from turning into the Aeromobil falling car.

The people behind the Aeromobil hope to make their concept capable of true door-to-door travel, seeing as it can roughly fit in a standard parking spot, run on regular gasoline, and only needs a couple hundred meters to take off.

As fun as it is to entertain the flying car idea, even with the very cool Aeromobil 3.0, we’re certainly still a ways off from a true flying car. First off, people have been trying to tackle this concept for decades, like the 1950’s era Aerocar, which required three different government licenses for its operation. More recently, we’ve had Terrafugia try to bring its own flying vehicle to the streets.

Ultimately, the best thing we’ve come up with is folding planes that can be driven to and from the airport. Oh yeah, you still need an airport, by the way. Don’t think the dream of soaring overhead of suckers stuck in a commute is happening any time soon.

In the air, would-be flying car operators are subject to a wholly different set of rules, regulations, and skills required to operate a flying vehicle. Seeing as how we’re still dealing with stuff like texting behind the wheel, it’s no surprise that the autonomous car is way more likely to be seen on our roads than a flying one.

Alexander Kalogianni
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Alex K is an automotive writer based in New York. When not at his keyboard or behind the wheel of a car, Alex spends a lot of…
Hyundai to offer free NACS adapters to its EV customers
hyundai free nacs adapter 64635 hma042 20680c

Hyundai appears to be in a Christmas kind of mood.

The South Korean automaker announced that it will start offering free North American Charging Standard (NACS) adapters in the first quarter of 2025.

Read more
Hyundai Ioniq 5 sets world record for greatest altitude change
hyundai ioniq 5 world record altitude change mk02 detail kv

When the Guinness World Records (GWR) book was launched in 1955, the idea was to compile facts and figures that could finally settle often endless arguments in the U.K.’s many pubs.

It quickly evolved into a yearly compilation of world records, big and small, including last year's largest grilled cheese sandwich in the world.

Read more
Global EV sales expected to rise 30% in 2025, S&P Global says
ev sales up 30 percent 2025 byd sealion 7 1stbanner l

While trade wars, tariffs, and wavering subsidies are very much in the cards for the auto industry in 2025, global sales of electric vehicles (EVs) are still expected to rise substantially next year, according to S&P Global Mobility.

"2025 is shaping up to be ultra-challenging for the auto industry, as key regional demand factors limit demand potential and the new U.S. administration adds fresh uncertainty from day one," says Colin Couchman, executive director of global light vehicle forecasting for S&P Global Mobility.

Read more