From Harry Potter to The Jetsons, flying cars have been staple features of science fiction blockbusters for years.
But they’re slowly but surely becoming a reality, with several firms vying to be the first to launch a commercially available vehicle.
One of those firms is KleinVision, the Slovakia-based developer of AirCar – the ‘world’s first certified flying car’ which can transform from a road vehicle into a plane in under three minutes.
While the car is already certified to fly in Slovakia, the technology behind it has now been sold to a Chinese company, which KleinVision claims will ‘accelerate progress towards mass-market flying car manufacturing.’
The news comes shortly after the UK government announced that flying taxis will be whizzing around British skies by 2028.
AirCar is a dual-mode craft, which can reach heights of more than 8,000ft and speeds of over 100mph.
It was certified to fly in Slovakia back in 2022 after completing more than 200 take-offs and landings during 70 hours of rigorous flight testing to European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) standards.
Now, the technology has been sold to Hebei Jianxin Flying Car Technology Company for an undisclosed amount.
This licensing agreement grants the Chinese company exclusive rights to manufacture and distribute flying cars using KleinVision’s technology within a ‘specific’ – yet undisclosed – geographical region.
‘This partnership represents a significant step in our mission to expand global access to revolutionary mobility solutions and drive progress in the industry,’ said Anton Zajac, co-founder at KleinVision.
Hebei Jianxin Flying Car Technology Company is based in Cangzhou, and has already built its own airport and flight school.
And the ability to use KleinVision’s technology could help the company to get ahead of its rivals.
According to Morgan Stanley, the global market for flying cars is expected to hit $1 trillion in 2040, before jumping to a whopping $9 trillion in 2050.
China is on track to hold 23 per cent of the market by 2050 – second only to the US’s 27 per cent share.
Speaking to Nikkei, Guo Liang, CEO of Chinese flying car developer Aerofucia, claimed that China’s flying car revolution will ‘surpass the electrification of cars’.
‘The full-fledged commercialization of flying cars in China will begin in either 2025 or 2026,’ Guo said.
While the pricing for flying cars remains unclear, Guo claims that they will quickly become more affordable than helicopters.
‘As a new mode of low-altitude transportation, [flying cars] fares will be a third or a fifth of helicopters initially,’ said Guo.
‘It might be a little expensive for average people, but the costs will continue to go down.’
