Tesla says a flying car is coming. BYD already has one that makes sense
Elon Musk is reportedly going to launch a “flying car.” Not a flying taxi like those oversized drones that want to take rich people from Manhattan to JFK laughing at us peasants traveling in regular cabs. Not another old Tesla Roadster mounted atop a Falcon 9. No. This will be a next-generation Tesla Roadster that can fly on its own using cold gas thrusters developed by SpaceX. Like Nick Fury’s…
Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced plans to unveil a flying car prototype on his company's rocket testing grounds in Texas. The vehicle is said to feature cold gas thrusters developed in collaboration with SpaceX, allowing it to hover and even drive upside down. Musk hopes this announcement will reignite the excitement surrounding Tesla and its Roadster model, which has been struggling to regain its former design allure.
However, the concept of a flying car raises concerns about its practicality and utility. The limited-edition model, if it even becomes a reality, would only have flying capabilities available for select customers and wouldn't bring any significant innovation to the industry. Meanwhile, BYD, a rival Chinese car manufacturer, has already launched a real flying car, the Yangwang U9, which has been on sale since February 2024.
This street-legal electric hypercar utilizes a unique DiSus-X Intelligent Body Control System and active air suspension to achieve vertical lift, eliminating the need for rocket propellant or aerodynamic wings.
As Tesla grapples with declining sales and a dwindling design reputation, the company appears to be scrambling for attention through this ambitious yet uncertain project. The flying car prototype is expected to be built by hand and tested at SpaceX's facility in Texas, with Musk likely deploying a remote operation system to ensure spectator safety due to the extreme noise and vibrations produced by the cold gas thrusters.
Despite the allure of this flashy demonstration, it remains to be seen whether Tesla will successfully translate this concept into a viable, commercially available product.
Written by urgent.news from Fast Company's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
