Aston Martin has created something that is not usually associated with this British carmaker: a luxury vertical take-off and landing flying taxi. Its name is Volante Vision Concept and it is a product of a partnership with Cranfield University, Cranfield Aerospace Solutions, and Rolls-Royce. Additionally, the aircraft will be autonomous and hybrid-electric. The powertrain will be developed by Rolls-Royce Electrical, though the details of the components are still not known. The Volante Vision Concept is imagined as vehicle perfect for both urban and inter-city travel.
Marek Reichman has commented on the design and idea of Aston Martin flying taxi. He states that vertical mobility is not a fantasy anymore, but a piece of technology that is believed to be used in a new generation of urban transportation. Additionally, he says that from and proportion used in the concept are taking their roots from Aston Martin most luxurious vehicles. For instance, the shape echoes elements of the Valkyrie hypercar, while the finest materials cover the cockpit, which has room for three passengers.
“We need to look at alternative solutions to reduce congestion, cut pollution, and improve mobility. Air travel will be a crucial part in the future of transportation. The Volante Vision Concept is the ultimate luxury mobility solution,” Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer said.
Simultaneously, Rolls-Royce is working and has already designed its own version of a flying taxi. Its concept was presented on Monday at the Farnborough Air SHow. It will be again VTOL and will use hybrid-electric powertrain. Additionally, it will be equipped with rotating wings and a gas turbine engine will be paired with electric technology. More specific details about the powertrain are still not released. However, Rolls-Royce stated that we should expect its flying taxi to have a 500-mile range and a top speed of 250 mph. We can believe these numbers since Rolls-Royce is a major player on the aircraft engines market and has huge experience in this field.
Rolls stated that if there is a market opportunity for the flying taxi, we can expect to see it in the production by the mid-2020s.
[Via Autoblog]
