This isn't the first time that we at TopSpeed have come across a flying car. People have been talking about it for nearly as long as there have been cars. Companies like Terrafugia and Aeromobil have explored this space before. Here is yet another example dubbed the AirCar, which accomplished its first flight across two Slovakian cities in Europe.

Stefan Klein, the AirCar's inventor, flew and operated his new creation, on a 35-minute test flight at an altitude of 8200 feet, between the airports of Nitra and Bratislava on June 28, 2021. The two airports are approximately 37.2 miles apart. Unless your car can fly, it would take about an hour by road. His entire flight has been captured in quite a dramatic and cinematic video.

Concept of the Air Car

Now, connecting the worlds of planes and automobiles is certainly intriguing and there is a difference between saying and actually going and doing it. But nevertheless, there are some who persevere despite the pessimism that surrounds them and Stefan Klein is one such person.

So, what does Klein's flying automobile look like? Well, it's difficult to define his design as beautiful.

Unlike other flying car concepts, the Klein Vision hides the wings inside the body or fuselage in this case and draws back the rear rudder once on the ground.

As a result, the car is not especially graceful to look at, with an enormous rear wing, shielding rear wheels, and a cockpit for two people. A cockpit that truly embodies the flying car's dual soul: circular analog elements in front of the driver and a touch monitor in the center.

What's under the hood or fuselage?

There are currently two prototypes. The propeller is located in the back. The first prototype is propelled by a 160 horsepower BMW engine that comes with a fixed propeller. It has since flown for over 40 hours and has a top speed of 105 mph. Look closely at the BMW Logo and you realize that now more than ever, a propeller Badged BMW makes more sense than ever here, tracing back its history to a time when the Bavarian auto giant was involved in aircraft engines.

Eventually, the goal is to have a car/aircraft that weighs no more than 1760 pounds in a few years. This will improve the range even further.

A brief ride with an unbelievable perspective, with Stefan Klein at the helm, co-founder of the company, and always with his eye on the prize of constructing a flying car. This time he appears to have succeeded, but the successful test is merely the first of many procedures that must be completed before mass manufacturing can begin.

How does the future hold for the Air Car?

For the moment, it is not really possible to just pull this car out from the garage, extend the wings and tail, and take off on a street or an open road. This is not yet achievable because the AirCar still requires a runway to take off and land in order to fly safely.

If a standard car must pass [severe crash testing->mot2860. before being sold to the public, you can only imagine the kind of stringent safety protocols that an aircraft might have to adhere to. Because this concept is a hybrid, the Klein Vision must deal with both wheeled and flying transportation criteria.

For the time being, the manufacturer is yet to reveal a debut date and the AirCar still needs to establish itself before it can be put into the hands of potential buyers.