Is it a car? Is it a plane? It’s the AirCar!
May 8, 2025
The phrase “Is it bird? Is it a plane?” may have originated from the pages of Superman comic books, encapsulating the awe at witnessing something seemingly impossible in the sky. But today, that same sense of wonder applies to a real-world marvel – Klein Vision’s AirCar, the world’s first certified flying car that’s turning fiction in aviation reality.
Slovakia-based developer, Klein Vision, unveiled its production prototype of the AirCar at the Living Legends of Aviation gala dinner in Beverly Hills, heralding it as the world’s first mass-produced flying car. Having successfully completed over 170 flight hours and more than 500 successful take-offs and landings, the AirCar already holds a Certificate of Airworthiness.
Rapid transformation
Capable of automatically transforming from car to aircraft in less than two minutes at the touch of a button, the two-seater vehicle blends advanced aerodynamics, composite structures and a 280-horsepower engine. In car mode it measures 5.8m in length and 1.8m in height, however when its in flight mode, folding wings extend out from the car’s frame spanning 8.2 metres, while the tail section stretches the vehicle to 7m long.
Expected to go on sale in early 2026 with a price tag of around £600,000, the AirCar offers a “safe” top speed of 124mpg and a kerb weight of just 800kg. When airborne it can cruise at 155mph with a maximum altitude of 10,000 feet and a flight range of approximately 620 miles. However, most pilots/ drivers are expected to operate the vehicle at around 2,500 ft.
Long cherished dream
For founder Stefan Klein, the “AirCar fulfils a lifelong dream to bring the freedom of flight into the hands of everyday people. With the launch of our production prototype, we are one step closer to transforming how the world moves – merging the road and the sky into a new dimension of personal mobility.”
Klein and his co-founder, Anton Zajac’s vision is for the AirCar to feel like a car in terms of how it is driven, even when it is in aircraft mode.
Emphasising the engineering behind the innovation, Zajac described the AirCar as a “fusion of certified aviation engineering and advance automotive design. It is a true dual-mode vehicle that meets rigorous standards in both air and ground performance.”
He added that with global air mobility projected to reach $162 billion by 2034 and growing at over 50% CAGR, Klein Vision’s production prototype positions the company to lead this transformation.” We’re not just witnessing the future of transportation – we’re engineering it!” he said.
