Tag Archives: terrafugia

Inhabitat’s Week in Green: A flying car by 2018, and more!

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If you've been waiting forever for a flying car, you won't have to hold out much longer: The Terrafugia TF-X will take to the skies by the year 2018. In other transportation news, Singapore-based Vanda Electric unveiled an insane 1,500-horsepower sup...

Watch Terrafugia’s Transition fly and drive in public for the first time (video)

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DNP Terrafugia first flight

Sure, the Terrafugia Transition took to the skies for the first time at the 2012 NY Auto Show, but it has yet to fly and drive in front of an audience -- until now. The "driveable plane" did two laps around the field at this year's EAA AirVenture airshow in Wisconsin, once up in the air and once on land, as you can see in the videos past the break. In between the laps, it transforms from an airborne into a land vehicle by automatically folding its wings flush against its body. Despite the successful demo, it'll take a while before we see a Transition on the road -- Terrafugia plans to build a third prototype of the $279,000 plane / car before it begins production. Millionaires and supervillains, take note: you can pay a $10,000 reserve fee for one, but don't expect it to grace your driveway or hangar until 2015 or 2016.

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Via: Autoblog

Source: Journal Sentinel

Terrafugia Unveils Self-Driving, Self-Landing Flying Car: The Shuttlecraft is Almost a Reality

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If you have been dreaming about flying around in your own Star Trek style shuttlecraft, that day is almost upon us. Terrafugia has unveiled a concept for a flying car that lot like a shuttlecraft that has the Enterprise’s warp nacelles. However, those nacelles have propellers.

Terrafugia flying car

This flying car is called the TF-X and is a hybrid gas-electric flying car. Twin 600 horsepower electric propeller pods and a 300 horsepower engine handle the transition from vertical takeoff to a maximum cruising speed of 200 miles per hour. It has a 500 mile range.

It is capable of both driving and landing itself. Terrafugia says that “you always have the final say if its safe to land.” Well, that’s encouraging.

The TF-X is fully capable of handling the entire landing process without you. But if it is about to kill you, it’s nice to know that you get the final say. It’s definitely an interesting design and we would love to see it in the skies.

[via Like Cool]

Terrafugia considering TF-X, a vertical-takeoff flying car (video)

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Terrafugia researching TFX, a verticaltakeoff flying car

We've been hearing about Terrafugia's Transition "flying car" for, well, far too long, considering that it has yet to even venture beyond the prototype phase. The prop plane / roadworthy vehicle combo has its fair share of fans -- some of them with deep enough pockets to place an order -- but it won't be making its way from your garage to the runway anytime soon. With that in mind, the company's TF-X vertical-takeoff model is even less likely to see the light of day, but it's being considered nonetheless.

The plug-in hybrid-electric aircraft would take off and land vertically, like a helicopter -- if the DOT and FAA allowed it, you could literally fly over the highway whenever you run into traffic, though we can't imagine that pilots will ever get the green light to take off from public roads, even if the TF-X becomes a reality. For now, it exists only in the minds of Terrafugia's ambitious team, a few image renders and a minute-long animated demo, which we've embedded for your viewing pleasure after the break.

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Via: CNET

Source: Terrafugia (PR), TF-X Product Page

Terrafugia’s Transition aircraft not likely to see production this year

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Terrafugia's Transition aircraft not likely to see production this year

Terrafugia's Transition flying car (or driveable plane) has stayed out of the spotlight since we caught a glimpse of it last year, but AOL Autos recently checked-in with the daring manufacturer to gauge its progress. Sure, the prototype has already scored a VIN from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and an N-number from the Federal Aviation Administration, but it turns out the land /air hybrid is still awaiting complete certification by the NHTSA. Production dates won't be announced until the craft has been rubber-stamped by Uncle Sam, and that isn't expected to occur within the next 12 months. For now, suppliers are being lined up, and it's very likely that another prototype will be fashioned before it hits the assembly line. You might not be able to sit inside your very own Transition soon, but you will be able to see the first model on display at Cape Cod's Heritage Museum this summer.

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Via: Autoblog

Source: AOL Autos