Electric Flying Saucer For One Aims To Overtake Air Taxis Even Before They Exist

One of the newest hot topics in the aerospace industry is the eVTOL, an electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle. Vertical electric air taxis are seeing rapid developments, and we might be coming closer to actually getting a flying car than ever before. 

But there might be a potential to bypass all of that, and opt for a personal space-saucer-shaped eVTOL that won’t need to make all the unnecessary stops in between, which is something that air travel can’t eradicate from public transport, even in a flying air taxi. 

Aerospace company ZEVA has developed the ‘Zero’, a low-cost eVTOL that comes in disc form and is suitable for just one person. When stationary, it sits upright, like a sideways plate.

But in flight, it looks just like that image of a UFO that gets conjured up in our minds when we hear the word “alien.” 

Driven forward by dual propellers powered on a 25kW battery pack, the Zero is said to have a projected top speed of around 160mph with a 50-mile range. It can also apparently reach up to 200 feet above the ground. 

“The Zero’s compact form, speed, and range make it perfect for island hopping, moving between remote properties and ship to shore,” Stephen Tibbets, CEO of ZEVA, explains to Robb Report. 

The publication reports that the takeoff process is akin to launching the pilot from a cannon. The aircraft going from vertical to horizontal means that the pilot will also, essentially, be doing the same from the inside. 

Although flying it requires a set of joysticks right now, there’s a goal for it to eventually be autonomous. 

“Our blended wing-body is very compact and can fit into a standard automobile parking spot, ensuring that what we’re building fits within existing infrastructure,” Tibbets continues. 

From both manufacturers’ and pilots’ perspectives, he explains, the design is appealing because it can be made with fewer parts. This will make it “more reliable and less expensive to produce.”

Apart from using it for personal travel, there’s also the potential for the Zero to be used by first-responder teams, search and rescue operations, or law enforcement. 

The Zero is still being tested, with the company already using a full-scale prototype. According to Tibbets, the Zero is expected to receive certification by 2023 and can start to retail around a year later. 

Currently, the predicted starting price sits at US$250,000. It might seem a slightly hefty amount for a one-seater vehicle, but hey, where else are you going to get your very own electric flying saucer that launches you from a cannon?

[via Robb Report, images via ZEVA]