Just over a year after Samson Sky’s flying car, the Switchblade, made its first flight, another milestone arrived: its production has reached the planning phase. The company is entering series production with an improved, more streamlined body, which not only simplifies the production process, but also improves the performance of the model.
Among other things, this will be reflected in the top speed, since while it reached a speed of 201 km/h during ground testing last year, the company hopes that the new design will allow it to fly at 257 km/h. The designers also expect a big improvement in the flight height: compared to the 152 meters achieved by the test vehicle, they have already set a goal of 3,962 meters.
The hybrid energy system of the Switchblade, which is 5.1 meters long as a car and 6.2 meters long as an airplane, can fly up to 805 kilometers with a single tank of fuel – in this case, 91-octane gasoline. It’s true, since then the fuel tank has also been increased, so instead of 125, it now has more than 150 liters.
Photo: Samson Sky
The side windows of the renewed model have become larger, which ensures a better view and greater safety, while they are working with car designers to design the interior. Compared to the test prototype, it received retractable side mirrors, rear lights, a new cooling inlet, and even a more powerful cooling outlet.
Samson Sky plans to build three test vehicles over the next 18 months, which will then undergo a comprehensive test program, both on the ground and in the air. The company says it has already received more than 2,300 bookings from 57 different countries, including every member state of the United States (US), totaling more than $450 million.
As for the price of the flying car, there is a large variance. For entry-level pieces, they ask for 170,000 dollars, converted to about 65 million forints, but the price of limited-edition copies tailored to individual needs can cost up to 770,000 dollars, i.e. almost 300 million forints.
Source: www.vezess.hu
