Photo: PAL-V
During last year’s Geneva Motor Show, a company by the name of PAL-V showed the Liberty, a gyrocopter of sorts that doubles as a car, or the other way around. One year later, it comes back, with nothing new to really show for.
In Geneva this March, the Dutch company will be showing the Liberty Pioneer, the “full-option” variant in this still to be born gyrocopter lineup. This is the one that costs a staggering EUR 499,000 to own ($564,000) - for reference, the less loaded PAL-V costs EUR 299,000 ($338,000).
So, why is PAL showing it again?
The company says the gyrocopter will enter production by the end of this year and that only 90 units of it will be made, so probably giving customers a chance of seeing one in the flesh might be the right move.
Or is it?
Ideas of making cars breed with planes or helicopters – or even boats – popped into people’s heads before, but none of them actually made in into production, for various reasons.
For PAL-V, the task of selling the 90 units will likely be even harder in today’s day and age.
Mind you that in addition to paying a huge amount of money for it, owners will also have to get a flying license, make sure the machine can be operated legally in this or that country and, most importantly, get ready to travel in pairs, as this is a two-seater.
With all the autonomous flying machines currently under development, why would one go to all this trouble to own a PAL-V?
Robert Dingemanse, PAL-V CEO, has a possible answer for those fearing buying a PAL-V could be a bad move.
“They will be at the forefront of a new mobility revolution, where we will no longer have cars that can only drive. They will be the first car flyers in their country, fly-driving to any destination.”
So, why is PAL showing it again?
The company says the gyrocopter will enter production by the end of this year and that only 90 units of it will be made, so probably giving customers a chance of seeing one in the flesh might be the right move.
Or is it?
Ideas of making cars breed with planes or helicopters – or even boats – popped into people’s heads before, but none of them actually made in into production, for various reasons.
For PAL-V, the task of selling the 90 units will likely be even harder in today’s day and age.
Mind you that in addition to paying a huge amount of money for it, owners will also have to get a flying license, make sure the machine can be operated legally in this or that country and, most importantly, get ready to travel in pairs, as this is a two-seater.
With all the autonomous flying machines currently under development, why would one go to all this trouble to own a PAL-V?
Robert Dingemanse, PAL-V CEO, has a possible answer for those fearing buying a PAL-V could be a bad move.
“They will be at the forefront of a new mobility revolution, where we will no longer have cars that can only drive. They will be the first car flyers in their country, fly-driving to any destination.”
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