Click above for more shots of the Moller Autovolanter concept
The lure of the flying car is just too great for Moller International, a company best known for its SkyCar prototype and not actually producing a real flying vehicle for sale despite being around for some 25 years. Its latest tease is adapting the body shell of a Ferrari 599 GTB for use as a flying vehicle. Called the Autovolanter, this 599 GTB that's freed from the shackles of Earth is capable of vertical take-offs and landings thanks to a hybrid powertrain comprised of rotary engines and electric motors. The vehicle, proposed by a wealthy Russian businessman who'd apparently like to bypass Moscow's busy traffic with style, has already gone through small-scale testing and Moller seems rather pleased with the results.
Initial goals for the Autovolanter are a 150-mile range on
the ground, with 40 of those coming from battery power alone, and 75 miles of airborne flight at high speeds. So the Autovolanter is basically a flying Chevy Volt based on a Ferrari. To make it a reality, the vehicle would need 800 horsepower... no problem, right? Oh yeah, and Moller needs around $5 million for continued development. Word is they're currently seeking more wealthy Russian businessmen who apparently have no sense.
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