PAL-V International is unveiling its flying car the Geneva Motor Show – here’s what it looks like

Always dreamed of a flying car? PAL-V International is the company trying to make it happen
Amelia Heathman6 March 2018

Flying cars are getting one step closer to reality and Dutch company PAL-V International is the organisation making it happen.

At the Geneva Motor Show, the company unveiled the production version of its flying car, the PAL-V Liberty.

It’s an exciting moment for the company and all flying car enthusiasts. The first version of the vehicle was released last year when PAL-V unveiled the pre-orders for the car after working on it for six years.

The PAL-V Liberty is a twin-engine craft that looks like a hybrid between a car and a helicopter. It’s a three-wheeled vehicle and is fitted with a similar handling system to that of a motorbike, which relies on the driver tilting the car with a control stick.

The car will be available to purchase for between €299,000 and €499,000 (PAL-V International )
PAL-V International

When in driving mode, the PAL-V Liberty can be driven on normal roads and takes around five minutes to switch to flying mode, according to PAL-V.

In flight mode, the car can reach flying speeds of up to 112mph as well as heights of around 4,000 feet.

Though the car is certified to fly under the rules of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in Europe and its US counterpart, you do need to have a pilot’s license to be able to fly the vehicle.

In addition, it needs a small airstrip or airfield to take off and land so you’ll need a lot of space or access to one in order to do so.

There are only 90 versions of the PAL-V Liberty pioneer edition which comes with a hefty price tag of €499,000.

After these are all sold, customers are then only able to buy the PAL-V Liberty sport edition which has a more bank-friendly price of €299,000.

The company says it hopes to ship the first cars in 2019.

And it's not just PAL-V that is betting big on flying cars. The ride-sharing startup Uber is also expanding its efforts to bring flying taxis to the roads. 

The company is hoping to test the airborne cars in Los Angeles by 2020, as well as introduce the scheme in Dallas and Dubai.

Uber has signed a Space Act Agreement with NASA to create a new air traffic control system to manage the aircraft. 

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