The production of eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft is gaining a lot of steam, and automakers are now entering this space by designing their own eVTOL vehicles!
The most recent company to join this movement is Volkswagen Group China after it unveiled the final design of its very own "Vertical Mobility."
The Flying Tiger
The plane, also known as the Flying Tiger, was introduced during the Year of the Tiger and was painted in a black-and-gold scheme to mimic the big cat's black and orange colors.
As reported first by New Atlas, the current functional prototype has eight horizontal rotors for vertical lift and two rear vertical pusher props for forwarding flight.
The aircraft was produced due to a collaboration between VW China, the UK design studio tangerine, and the Chinese aviation manufacturer Sunward.
Tangerine claims that extensive user research involving more than a hundred high-net-worth people from all over China significantly impacted the aircraft's design, format, and layout.
Volkswagen China's plans for the current model include conducting numerous test flights later this year, followed by test flights late next summer for a more enhanced prototype.
According to the company, the final production prototype will be fully autonomous and capable of transporting four passengers and luggage with a range of up to 200km (124 miles).
In order to keep passengers far from the propellers, the cabin is positioned beneath the wings in an aerodynamic shape. It has an aerodynamic skate that supports ground-level passenger access to the cabin while lifting the vehicle off the ground.
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Ground-Breaking Project
"Through this pilot project, we are bringing Volkswagen's long tradition of precision engineering, design, and innovation to the next level, by developing a premium product that will serve the vertical mobility needs of our future tech savvy Chinese customers," Dr. Stephan Wöllenstein, CEO of Volkswagen Group China, said.
He claims the aircraft is a ground-breaking project that their young Chinese experts started from scratch - using cutting-edge design principles, materials, and safety standards.
Urban air mobility is a rapidly developing industry that aims to use air space for short- and medium-distance links, particularly above and between large cities, according to Volkswagen.
V.MO is most likely to be marketed in the early stages of its commercial use as a high-end product for wealthy, tech-savvy Chinese consumers, such as for VIP air shuttle services.
In comparison to the current conventional modes of terrestrial transportation, Volkswagen said that eVTOL air vehicles would be more flexible and capable of moving passengers more quickly and efficiently.
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Written by Joaquin Victor Tacla
