[ad_1]
A Miami-based aerospace company revealed that its flying car will hit the skies in two years – but it could cost you up to $350,000.
Doron Merdinger, CEO of Doroni Aerospace, told TMZ that his firm is testing a two-seater vehicle that looks like a hovering drone and expects deliveries not later than 2025.
Merdinger likened the Doroni H1 to a flying ‘roadster’ designed for short trips, taking people several hundred feet into the air at speeds up to 140 miles per hour.
The company recently performed the first untethered flight with its prototype, but the successful endeavor means a full-scale flying model will be ready in the next few months.
The H1 is set to be certified with the Federal Aviation Administration as a Light Sport Aircraft, meaning you will only need a driver’s license and 20 hours training.
The Doroni H1 is set to be delivered to consumers no later than early 2025. The two-seater flying car will cost up to $350,000
‘We expect to start selling and leasing 22 units in our third year and 722 units by our fifth year. We anticipate the Doroni H1 eVTOL will generate revenue, starting with first responders, law enforcement, armed forces, letter of intent for a preorder from a security company, and recreational users,’ the company shared in a statement.
‘From there, we plan on positioning ourselves to possibly be acquired by global defense contractors, automobile manufacturers such as General Motors, or ridesharing companies such as Uber and Lyft.*
The flying car has two sets of wings with large ducted fans, a 500-pound payload, and wheels, which the company said makes it look like a hovering drone.
The Doroni H1 has three motions of axes – pitch, roll and yaw.
The H1 is expected to range 60 miles and can be charged in a garage.
Merdinger said the battery charges from 20 to 80 percent in about 20 minutes.
‘We have designed, built, tested, and successfully lifted off a 643-pound, full-scale prototype, the X8 prototype eVTOL,’ the company explained.
Doroni previously estimated the starting retail price at $195,000, but Merdinger told TMZ the number has increased due to the rising cost of materials.
The company has raised more than $2.7 million from over 1,550 investors on the equity crowdfunding platform StartEngine.com.
The company recently performed the first untethered flight with its prototype, but the successful endeavor means a full-scale flying model will be ready in the next few months
The H1 is set to be certified with the Federal Aviation Administration as a Light Sport Aircraft, meaning you will only need a driver’s license and 20 hours of training
The company maxed out its first raise on the platform and has received over 230 pre-order requests for go-to-market aircraft.
While the US-based company is designing a personal vehicle for rural areas, Chinese firm XPeng is building a model to fly tourists around cities.
The company claims it can hit speeds up to 80mph in just a few years.
The all-electric XPeng X2 is expected to stick to an altitude of roughly 300 feet– around the height of Big Ben.
It is expected to cost the same as a luxury car, such as a Bentley or Rolls Royce, and come to market by 2025.
Doroni previously estimated the starting retail price at $195,000, but Merdinger told TMZ the number has increased due to the rising cost of materials
While the US-based company is designing a personal vehicle for rural areas, Chinese firm XPeng is building a model to fly tourists around cities
Brian Gu, president and vice-chairman, said the ultimate aim was for it to be used by wealthy individuals as their day-to-day mode of transport.
But, with several regulatory hurdles still to cross, he said the vehicle would likely first be contained to the ‘outskirts of cities or on scenic strips.’
Owners are expected only to require a driver’s license as the initial flying will likely have to be done autonomously
[ad_2]
Source link
