The A-listers and Z-listers of Flying Cars

Science-fiction movies have always been popular and had people dreaming of the days when flying cars will become reality. Now that day has arrived, the vehicles are here and people might be regretting what they wished for.

Despite the world being nowhere near ready for flying cars, they appear to be here to stay. Unfortunately, many of these vehicles and concepts could’ve used a little more time on the drawing board, as companies collectively are jumping the shark like there’s no tomorrow.

There is some glimmer of hope, though. Some flying cars not only are very real but also are bordering on being interesting.

So here we will take a look at five of the more popular flying cars, either real or conceptual, and rank them from what has potential to be cool, to what has no hope, and never will.

AeroMobil Flying Car

Slovakian company AeroMobil announced in April that it plans to deliver a flying car to customers by 2019. The company isn’t the only one to make such promises, but it might be the first to do so with a vehicle that actually could catch on. And, unlike the next vehicle on this list, AeroMobil’s car doesn’t look like more of a toy when in drive mode.

The vehicle has impressive technology and design, but that comes at a price, a $1.2m expected price, which isn’t decreasing anytime soon. However, it’s the first fully realized flying car that actually looks like a flying car is expected to look.

PAL-V Liberty

The Liberty, created by Dutch company PAL-V, is said to be able to reach 100mph when in drive mode. However, some may think; what’s the point? The vehicle does actually work and is currently available for pre-order, but there is reports that the Liberty feels less like a flying car and more like a weak helicopter that can drive a little bit.

Terrafugia TF-X

Where the Liberty may look weak, the Terrafugia TF-X looks exactly the opposite. This vehicle looks like a futuristic hearse with wings, and the Boston-based company claims it can integrate the speed of aviation with the convenience of driving a car, although people are not convinced. The Terrafugia TF-X is said to be practical, as there is no requirement for an airport with take-off and landing, and it can drive on all roads and highways.

Kitty Hawk Flyer

Although this vehicle may not be considered by everyone as a flying car, it is still sometimes referred to as one, and the developer is backed by Alphabet CEO Larry Page, but not everyone is convinced by this hype.

As Stephen Colbert articulated in a recent article, the Flyer really is a vehicle which allows rich people to fly over fresh water differently than most people. Ultimately, the Flyer isn’t much more than a beach-side rental option for the more wealthier vacation-goer.

Airbus Pop.Up

Airbus envisions a world where you hail a self-driving car that drives you until traffic becomes too congested, at which point a drone lifts the pod from its wheelbase and carries it elsewhere.

You heard that correctly, a car-carrying drone. There is always the issue that modern cities may not be able to handle such infrastructural change (cities like Boston for example), but the question is what does Airbus plan to do with all the wheel platforms it leaves behind?