Airbus' flying car ready for take-off

The CityAirbus prototype was presented in Germany, where it will begin to be tested.

CityAirbus, l'auto volante che arriverà nel 2025

By: Eleonora Lilli

Published by: Brian Potter

May 5, 2024 at 8:50am ET

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The Airbus flying car is continuing its development on schedule. The prototype, unveiled two years ago, is due to go to market in 2025. To prepare, it will use the new centre dedicated to testing eVTOL systems, including flight controls, avionics and eight-rotor electric motors, which has been inaugurated in Donauwörth, Germany.

It can fly up to 80 miles

The two-tonne CityAirbus is due to make its maiden flight later this year. In the meantime, it has completed 242 flights and 1,000 experimental kilometres, as well as several wind tunnel runs.

CityAirbus, the flying car due in 2025

With a wingspan of around 12 metres, it has been designed with a range of 50 miles and a cruising speed of 75 mph for operation in urban areas. The prototype also promises to be silent. The company is talking about 65 dB during the flight phase and 70 dB on landing.

"The launch of the CityAirbus NextGen for the first time is an important and concrete step towards advanced air mobility and our future product and market" - Balkiz Sarihan, Head of Urban Air Mobility at Airbus.

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Not just prototypes

Airbus, which is also a firm believer in hydrogen, is also working with Dublin-based aviation company LCI to develop partnerships and business models in the areas of strategy, marketing and financing.

So the race for flying cars continues, because according to some estimates, this is a mobility sector that could be worth 1.5 trillion dollars by 2040.