Volkswagen Group China announced its own eVTOL called "Flying Tiger" V.MO
It should no longer come as a surprise that automakers are entering the business with the advancement of eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) "air taxis." This week, Volkswagen Group China revealed its own project, dubbed V.MO. The aircraft's name comes from an acronym for Vertical Mobility and is also known as the Flying Tiger. It was introduced in the Year of the Tiger, and its black-and-gold paint job pays homage to the big cat's black and orange coloration.
The initial functional prototype is 11.2 meters long by 10.6 m wide (36.7 by 34.8 ft), and it has eight horizontal rotors for vertical lift, as well as two rear vertical pusher props for forward flight, made with a collaboration between Volkswagen China, UK design firm tangerine, and Chinese aviation manufacturer Sunward.
According to tangerine, the aircraft design, structure, and format were "largely determined" by "intensive user testing with over a hundred high-net-worth individuals throughout China." The V.MO is targeted at this same demographic; people who could use the eVTOL to travel between Chinese cities might do so.
The first model will be followed by a number of test flights in the second half of this year, after which an improved prototype will be subjected to testing late next summer (Northern Hemisphere). According to Volkswagen China, the final commercial model will be completely autonomous and capable of transporting four people plus luggage for distances up to 200 kilometers.
"Through this pilot project, we are bringing Volkswagen’s long tradition of precision engineering, design, and innovation to the next level, by developing a premium product that will serve the vertical mobility needs of our future tech-savvy Chinese customers," said Dr. Stephan Wöllenstein, CEO of Volkswagen Group China. "The launch of this stunning validation model – the V.MO – is the first of many remarkable milestones on our exciting journey towards urban air travel."
Source: newatlas.com
