Terrafugia to manufacture flying car for 2019 deliveries

Terrafugia says it will put its Transition flying car into production and on sale next year.

At last week’s EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, Terrafugia, now owned by China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, announced a raft of updates to the interior, safety systems, motor, and flight instrumentation that will be tested soon.

“Developing this new technology has allowed us to test several different mechanisms and generate process improvements along the way,” said Terrafugia CEO Chris Jaran.

“We are at the critical point where we can implement the best design features based on years of flight and drive testing. This will improve function, safety and aesthetics for the optimal flying and driving experience.”

The Transition improvements include:

• Hybrid-Electric Motor – The Transition will now drive in hybrid mode, using a combination of an internal combustion engine and a LiFePO4 (Lithium iron phosphate chemistry) battery – proven to be much safer than other lithium battery chemistries
• Boost – The throttle incorporates a boost feature for a brief burst of extra power while flying
• Interior – Upgraded seats, more intuitive user interface, and increased luggage capacity
• Safety – improved seat belts, airbags, and increased visibility with three rearview cameras in drive mode.

Terrafugia is also partnering with state-of-the-art suppliers for avionics and parachutes. Dynon is providing the EFIS (Electrical Flight Information Systems) and BRS is providing a full frame parachute system.

Terrafugia, Inc