Airspeeder launches crewed hydrogen-electric flying racing car
Alauda Aeronautics has unveiled the Airspeeder Mk4 – dubbed the world’s first, and fastest, crewed flying car.
Designed and built in Adelaide, Australia, the Airspeeder Mk4 is the world’s fastest…
Alauda Aeronautics has unveiled the Airspeeder Mk4 – dubbed the world’s first, and fastest, crewed flying car.
Designed and built in Adelaide, Australia, the Airspeeder Mk4 is the world’s fastest electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
Capable of reaching a top speed of 360 kph (225 mph) in just 30 seconds from a standing start, it’s designed to set the bar for performance and technology in the radical new sport of piloted Airspeeder racing.
Electric propulsion
With its electric propulsion system, advanced aerodynamics and a take-off weight (MTOW) of just 950 kg, the Airspeeder Mk4 is also extremely efficient, with a projected range of 300 km (188 miles) while producing near-zero emissions.
The new aircraft is a development of the remotely-piloted Mk3, which has successfully completed more than 350+ test flights and took part in two Airspeeder demonstration races in South Australia in 2022.
Maximum agility
Like all Airspeeders, the Mk4 is intended primarily for racing, so is designed for maximum agility at high speeds and low altitudes. Two technologies inspired by the space industry give the vehicle its unprecedented speed, manoeuvrability and range.
The Airspeeder Mk4 is powered by a 1,000 kW (1,340 horsepower) turbogenerator that feeds power to the batteries and motors. Specifically designed for use in eVTOLs, this revolutionary technology allows green hydrogen to be used as fuel, providing safe, reliable and sustainable power over long distances and flight times. The Mk4 has a projected range of over 300 km (188 miles).
Alauda Aeronautics’ demonstrator ‘Thunderstrike’ engine incorporates a unique combustor made using 3D printing techniques developed in the space industry for rocket engines. The combustor’s design keeps the hydrogen flame temperature relatively low, greatly reducing nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions.
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