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Klein Vision’s AirCar Prototype, an Actual Flying Car, Takes Maiden Flight

Flying cars, the versatile vehicles fit for both land and air, have long been a dream for mankind. That dream has become a reality, though for a very limited number of people. For now.
The AirCar prototype, the flying car developed by Klein Vision 7 photos
Photo: Klein Vision
The AirCar prototype, the flying car developed by Klein VisionThe AirCar prototype, the flying car developed by Klein VisionThe AirCar prototype, the flying car developed by Klein VisionThe AirCar prototype, the flying car developed by Klein VisionThe AirCar prototype, the flying car developed by Klein VisionThe AirCar prototype, the flying car developed by Klein Vision
Out of a desire to develop a vehicle that would travel both on land and through the air, Slovakia’s Klein Vision set out to develop what would later be called the AirCar. The final AirCar prototype was introduced to the public in 2019, at the CIIE in Shanghai, China, and has been undergoing airport tests ever since.

It has also completed its first flight, as Klein Vision proudly announced the other day. You can see a video of the maiden flight at the bottom of the page. The test flights were conducted at Piestany Airport in Slovakia and included two takeoffs and two landings, all four successful.

Having reached this milestone with the AirCar, Klein Vision is confident it can deliver a first production model within the next six months. Taking the prototype from idea to actual working vehicle was a matter of 18 months, so these guys (apparently) know a thing or two about a speedy delivery. Moreover, they’re also working on variations of this model and plan to deliver 2- and 4-seater versions, a twin-engine version and an amphibious version.

The AirCar, as you can see in the video below, is a car by land and a small airplane by air. The conversion takes under 3 minutes, and is possible thanks to the foldable wings and retractable rear. The vehicle boast a range of 1,000 km (621 miles) and a top speed of 200 kph (124.2 mph), though Klein Vision doesn’t say in which mode these figures are registered.

Compared to most eVTOLs, AirCar is at an advantage.

“With AirCar you will arrive at your destination without the hassle of getting a ride to the airport and passing through commercial security, you can drive your AirCar to the golf course, the office, the mall or your hotel and park it in a normal parking space,” Anton Zajac, Klein Vision’s co-founder, investor and pilot, says in a statement.

All this is amazing news – and a great accomplishment for Klein Vision. But they’re still facing the biggest challenge in the process, like other builders of such flying cars: getting them registered for road use is a comparatively easy task, but obtaining air certification is an entirely different, more costly and time-consuming matter.

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About the author: Elena Gorgan
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Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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