AmericaThe Pegasus E flying car is equipped with large propellers and 4 small wheels, reaching speeds of 160 km/h when flying and 120 km/h when running on the road.
Australia’s leading air mobility services company, Pegasus, moves its headquarters and manufacturing facilities to Las Vegas, begins operations in the US, New Atlas Pegasus has been developing flying cars since 2009 and has gradually perfected the design. Currently, the company is focusing on developing the Pegasus E flying car line.
The Pegasus E looks like a small, single-seat helicopter with a large rotor on top and an open-wheel chassis underneath, using carbon fiber connecting rods. The vehicle is equipped with a hybrid powertrain (a combination of an electric motor and an internal combustion engine), in which the internal combustion engine has a capacity of about 160 horsepower.
The Pegasus E has a dry weight of 265 kg. With a full 60-liter fuel tank, it will fly with a payload of 101 kg, reaching a top speed of 160 km/h and a maximum altitude of 1,800 m. It has an endurance of 3 hours and a range of 420 km, which is much greater than what all-electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft can offer.
On the road, despite its small wheels, the Pegasus E can reach speeds of up to 120 km/h. Its compact size allows it to fit into standard garages as well as regular-sized parking spots, satisfying a number of practicality criteria.
The Pegasus E’s carbon fiber body includes two upward-opening doors. The controls are neatly laid out, including three foot pedals for both air and road modes, a steering wheel for road driving, and joysticks for flying.
As a safety feature, the pilot can land the vehicle using the “autorotation” mechanism. Autorotation is an emergency procedure that allows the pilot to land the helicopter in a smooth and controlled manner when the engine stops. This mechanism involves a series of operations and techniques to utilize the stored energy from altitude, airspeed and rotor speed to slow the descent and landing process.
Pegasus has received airworthiness certification from Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), allowing the Pegasus E to fly under current regulations. This certification will help the company quickly obtain similar certification in the US. However, road registration appears to be more difficult, with regulations covering headlights, taillights, turn signals, airbags, emissions, and more.
Pegasus is looking for investment to increase production from a planned 10 vehicles in 2025 to 900 vehicles per year by 2030. The company also aims to become the world’s leading manufacturer of flying cars.