The flying car has long been a dream of the American motoring public--imagine bypassing traffic jams and shaving plenty of time of off commutes--and Terrafugia has been hard at work trying to make that dream a reality for a while.
The Terrafugia Transition has been on the development trail for several years now, and it has received some construction exemptions from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which could make it easier for the car to enter into mass production.
The exemptions include allowing the use of a polycarbonate material instead of laminated safety glass. There's also an exemption for the use of tires that better match the Transition's weight and highway-speed requirements, even if those requirements are at odds with the usual regulations for multi-purpose vehicles.
According to Terrafugia, this is the first time the NHTSA has made exemptions for a flying car.
The company is finishing certification testing before it begins filling orders. The Terrafugia Transition will cost around $194,000, achieve 100 knots (115 mph) in the air, have a range of 400 nautical miles, and be able to drive at highway speeds on land. Power comes from a 100-horsepower Rotax engine. It has a take-off weight of 1,320 pounds and will require a Sport Pilot license to fly.
