Slated for a late 2012 release, the Terrafugia Transition will set you back by Rs 1.4 crore.
After around two years since being cleared for take-off, the Terrafugia Transition finally had its first flight. This prototype two-seater "street-legal airplane" took off from the Pittsburgh International Airport, and reached an altitude of 1400 feet above the ground. The vehicle with foldable wings is actually a small aeroplane adapted to run on the streets as a car, rather than a car adapted into an aeroplane. The flight was quite successful, as noted by the chief test pilot Phil Meteer, "It's a remarkable vehicle both on the road and, now, in the air".
The US Federal Air Authority has given the car-plane a special weight exemption of an extra 110 pounds for car safety features, such as airbags and structural cage, paving way for the mass production. This is an important thing to note, because it is usually difficult to obtain a street-legal car manufacturing license in the US due to higher safety measures, and the Terrafugia Transition seems to has managed to get it. The vehicle still needs a runway for take-off and landing, therefore making it uninteresting for Defence Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The DARPA are actually interested in something that can take off right from the highway, without a runway, something with a Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL). The flying car is just 19 feet long and 6 feet 9 inches tall, thus still quite a bit larger than a car.
Following the successful first flight, this car-plane could be released by the end of this year. However, since the last time we reported about it, the price has been inflation-adjusted to a whopping $279,000 (Rs 1.4 crore, excluding shipping and taxes) as against the earlier $195,500 (Rs 1 crore, excluding shipping and taxes). However, the up-front deposit remains at $10,000 (Rs 51,000).
People visiting the New York Auto Show will be able to see the flying car from 6th through 15th April. For those who can't do that, take a look at the test-flight video below:
The US Federal Air Authority has given the car-plane a special weight exemption of an extra 110 pounds for car safety features, such as airbags and structural cage, paving way for the mass production. This is an important thing to note, because it is usually difficult to obtain a street-legal car manufacturing license in the US due to higher safety measures, and the Terrafugia Transition seems to has managed to get it. The vehicle still needs a runway for take-off and landing, therefore making it uninteresting for Defence Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The DARPA are actually interested in something that can take off right from the highway, without a runway, something with a Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL). The flying car is just 19 feet long and 6 feet 9 inches tall, thus still quite a bit larger than a car.
Following the successful first flight, this car-plane could be released by the end of this year. However, since the last time we reported about it, the price has been inflation-adjusted to a whopping $279,000 (Rs 1.4 crore, excluding shipping and taxes) as against the earlier $195,500 (Rs 1 crore, excluding shipping and taxes). However, the up-front deposit remains at $10,000 (Rs 51,000).
People visiting the New York Auto Show will be able to see the flying car from 6th through 15th April. For those who can't do that, take a look at the test-flight video below:
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