MarioKart in the sky? New ‘AirKart’ Formula 1-inspired eVTOL wants to revolutionise aerial motorsports
July 10, 2025
Elevate Racing, headed by former Lilium engineer Marcin Michalczyk, has emerged from stealth mode and unveiled the AirKart, the company’s first product.
Looking like something out of the iconic video game MarioKart, the AirKart is a single-seat eVTOL vehicle intended for flying and racing.
“This is something I wanted to do since I was a teenager,” company CEO Michalczyk announced on LinkedIn. “Blend two great passions: motorsport & aviation.”
The CEO noted that the project has been worked on for some time in stealth, supported by “a great network of engineers, investors, entrepreneurs, and aerospace enthusiasts.”
The aircraft has not yet performed its first flight, although, according to an exclusive interview with eVTOL Insights, the first prototype is targeted for flight in early 2026.
Meet the AirKart: The world’s first racing eVTOL
The AirKart is not designed for a grocery run. Rather, it’s for racing, high-speed cornering, and an adrenaline rush. AirKart wants to revolutionise low-altitude, high-speed competitive flying, while also being user-friendly for everyone, including beginners.
The vehicle is powered by eight electric motors, configured in a quadcopter design. The enclosed propellers protect against debris, and also improve aerodynamic efficiency and noise levels.
Redundancy is built in. Elevate Racing says that, even if half the motors fail, the AirKart can land safely.
Lightweight construction is essential, and for this Elevate Racing is using natural flax fibres and bio-based resins, mixed with aerospace grade alloys, carbon fibre and kevlar.
This carbon fibre is formed into a monocoque structure, which the company says has been ” inspired by Formula 1’s relentless pursuit of safety and performance”.
At the heart of this innovative design is Elevate Racing’s own Double Ducted Coaxial Propulsion System®. In plain English, the system uses two counter-rotating propellers, surrounded by a double layered duct that increases thrust efficiency by preventing air spilling over the blade tips.
The vehicle’s battery system is able to provide 15 minutes of flight time, and are easily swappable, allowing users to change and go.
No pilots license required for this flying sports car
AirKart is being designed to comply with FAA Part 103 regulations. This means that owners will be able to fly it without a pilot’s license in the US and select other countries.
It will also be electronically limited to a top speed of 100 km/h (62 mph) and an altitude of 400 meters (1,310 feet).
The AirKart will sell for $199,999 a unit to private buyers, with the reservation window already open. The package includes training and membership of the ‘AirKart community,’ where “adrenaline junkies meet, race and push the limit in low altitude competition.”
Elevate Racing says production will begin in 2026 with the first deliveries to be made in 2027.
Taking the sport of karting to the skies
Elevate Racing plans to offer 15-minute flight sessions to the public. These will be available at its specialised AeroKarting Tracks, purpose-built for aerial motorsports.
The first AeroKarting Tracks are planned to launch in late 2027 in the US and the Caribbean, according to the Elevate Racing website. A 15 minute flight can be booked from $249, with pre-sale slots already open.
Beginner pilots will be able to put the vehicle into ‘EasyFly Mode’, where advanced GPS and LiDAR technology kick in to provide obstacle avoidance and handling assistance.
More advanced pilots can move on to ‘Sports Mode,’ where full control is handed over to the racer. In either mode, landing can be made with a single button push.
Joining the eVTOL rush
Various companies are producing eVTOL taxis, including Archer Aviation, Joby Aviation, Vertical Aerospace, and EHang in China.
In December 2024, California-based Archer Aviation announced that Abu Dhabi will be the world’s first city with an eVTOL air taxi service, with plans to begin operations in 2025. Archer’s Midnight eVTOL began test flights in Abu Dhabi in July 2025.
In China, EHang became the first eVTOL manufacturer to receive an operating certificate to fly fare-paying passengers in March 2025. EHang is set to offer its first commercial aerial tourism flights in Guangzhou and Hefei.
But AirKart’s proposion is something quite different, not intended for search and rescue or passenger transport, but simply for buckletloads of fun.
