Toyota-backed flying car hopes to light the Tokyo 2020 Olympic flame

China Plus/AP Published: 2017-06-05 08:51:15
Comment
Share
Share this with Close
Messenger Messenger Pinterest LinkedIn

Tsubasa Nakamura, project leader of Cartivator, second from left, watches the flight of the test model of the flying car on a former school ground in Toyota, Japan, June 3, 2017.[Photo: AP]

Tsubasa Nakamura, project leader of Cartivator, second from left, watches the flight of the test model of the flying car on a former school ground in Toyota, Japan, June 3, 2017.[Photo: AP]

A Japanese engineering startup group named "Cartivator" has showed off its flying car which the group hopes will be able to light up the Olympic flame for the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games.

Tsubasa Nakamura, head of the group, says the endeavor is still at an early stage.

"The current prototype achieved merely 10 or 20 percent of the final prototype I think. We are aiming to fly the prototype stably by the end of 2018. We need to work on a design that is capable of taking a person on board, which requires solving issues like legal regulation and safety," Nakamura says.

Engineers belonging to Cartivator hope their flying car would be world's smallest electric vehicle, which can be used in small urban areas.

Nakamura also says the group hopes to commercialise their flying car in 2025.

Last month, Toyota agreed to invest 380-thousand US dollars in the project for the next three years.

Companies across the world have been competing to develop the first flying car or vertical take-off and landing vehicles. 

Uber has announced its plan to deploy its flying taxi service by 2020 in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, and Dubai. 

Airbus is also working on developing its flying car under its division called Urban Air Mobility. 

Related stories

Share this story on

Most Popular