Biofuel Skycar headed for production in 2010
Parajet Skycar prototypes – Click above for high-res image gallery
Earlier this year, the Parajet Skycar Expedition, featuring the "World's First Bio-fuelled Flying Car," flew from London, England to Timbuktu in Mali, Africa. If you lusted over something so incredibly cool – a car that can transform from ground to air mode in about three minutes and actually works in both areas, then we've got good news for you: Parajet International Ltd has struck a deal to produce road-legal SkyCars with Rage Motorsport Ltd.
Rage will build the vehicle and Parajet will add all the parts that make it fly. A mock-up of the vehicle is pictured here, but Parajet says a "totally new chassis is being designed for the SkyCar which accommodates the rear fan system into the tubular chassis work." This will reduce weight by about 80 kg (176 lbs). Other changes are to include a re-positioned rear parachute, more legroom and a three-cylinder, 140 horsepower fuel-injected Yamaha engine. How long will you have to wait for one? Parajet says test flights of the skycar should happen this September and the release date could be early 2010.
Watch a CNN-produced video of the Skycar in action after the jump.
Gallery: Biofueled Skycar
[Sources: Parajet Ltd; CNN.com]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Bobmarley 2:05PM (4/17/2009)
Skycar AKA Caraglider AKA Paraglider-Car AKA Car that paraglides
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RWD 5:32PM (4/17/2009)
It's a paragliding car alright, but that's actually not a bad way to do it. No complicated folding wings, superlight-style frame. I am sure that in a windy piece of sky it wouldn't be too stable. But the idea is clearly for a weekend adventure kind of machine, not a sedan/Cessna that you can fly state-to-state on business trips.
It would be like having an ultralight or a paragliding rig that can also take on some sand dunes and then drive you home! I applaud the effort, good concept.
Farris 2:26PM (4/17/2009)
If I won the lottery, I would totally rock this car... not even kidding.
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adam1drift 2:30PM (4/17/2009)
who ever buys this car let me know who you are so i can point and laugh at you...
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MajorGeek 2:32PM (4/17/2009)
Pretty cool really. Reminds me a tad of the T-Rex with the front-side angles.
So, adam1drift, did people laugh at you when you drove the Smartfor2 as you claimed the other day? Because thats easily even sillier looking.
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aj121489 6:57PM (4/17/2009)
Yea I was gonna say it looks like a cross between the Murcielago (headlights kinda and front vents), a T-Rex, and an airboat lol
Uscgto 2:38PM (4/17/2009)
Smart car.. And a laughing stock... Owned.. Wait... what?? Adam u son of a gun
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Randy 2:52PM (4/17/2009)
Something like this could actually augment my plans on buying a Lambo!
Hmmm! This is pretty cool!
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TRL 3:00PM (4/17/2009)
The only way this could be funnier would be to replace "Parajet International" with GM. I almost fell off my Segway laughing.
Minutes up - here comes another one.
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DP 3:05PM (4/17/2009)
Let the safety mongers begin... "I'd hate to get hit by a 747 in THAT!"
;-)
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DKB_SATX 3:21PM (4/17/2009)
So it flies less than 70mph and has "no pitch control" according to their website. I'm also thinking that under most conditions you're going to need assistance to get it launched, and I note that there's no video of it starting off from a dead stop and taking off to indicate otherwise. I think a "light sport" airplane or the rather freakish looking Terrafugia ( http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/18/terrafugia-transmission-completes-successful-first-flight/ ) would be better choices for flying, and the Terrafugia thing can at least trundle you down the road to a hotel from the local airport.
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HOSS 3:31PM (4/17/2009)
IF YOU'RE FLYING OVER A CITY AT A GOOD ALTITUDE IT MIGHT BE NICE IF IT HAD DOORS. WHOOPS! THERE GOES MY CELL PHONE. HOPE IT DOESN'T HIT ANYBODY ON THE WAY DOWN............HEY, HEY. YOU ON THE GROUND.......MY PHONES RINGIN, COULD YOU GET THAT FOR ME?
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Draaaainage! 3:42PM (4/17/2009)
I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT YOUR PARAGRAPH OF ALL CAPS THAT I CAN'T STOP SCREAMING!
HOSS 4:15PM (4/17/2009)
i'm sorry, did my "shouting" hurt your ears? i realize now that i'm whispering and i just want to let you know if your having trouble hearing me, i cAn speaKe A liTtle loUder. take care DRAAAAINAGE.
Draaaainage! 5:14PM (4/17/2009)
You used the letter a several times in your post. On most keyboards the "Caps Lock" key is less than 1/2 of an inch from the "a" key. Just a heads up.
aj121489 7:02PM (4/17/2009)
Speak has no e at the end. I could understand if the e was near the a or k, but it isn't.
VW JUNKY 3:52PM (4/17/2009)
one word.
Powerlines!
ya know someone will end up in one.
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DKB_SATX 4:10PM (4/17/2009)
Powerlines, sides of buildings, sides of MOUNTAINS, trees, the ground... it's amazing what people manage to fly into even now, when you have to actually put some effort into learning to fly. If you unleashed the Great Unwashed into the air, it might help curb population growth a bit.
Philthy 10:34PM (4/17/2009)
Looks like a pretty excellent solution to the modern problem of celebrity douchebag overpopulation. First dealership in Hollywood!
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