Flying Car Startup Selling 100 Vehicles to Dubai Company

Flying car startup Pal-V has received an order for 100 of its flying vehicles from Aviterra, a Dubai company that plans to bring the flying vehicles to the Middle East and Africa.

Customers would be able to drive the vehicles themselves or use Aviterra's services, according to the company.

The Pal-V (personal air and land vehicle) vehicle Liberty is certified to drive on public roads and expects its aviation certification this year.

The Pal-V Pioneer Edition is powered by e-fuels and hybrid fuel technologies.

The 10-year-old Netherlands startup already opened a showroom dedicated to flying cars in Munich, Germany.

“The PAL-V is the perfect tool for our customers’ regional travel requirements, offering a combination of flying and driving,” said Mouhanad Wadaa, managing director of Aviterra. “It’s truly an innovation that will change mobility as we know it. While running a business aviation company, we’ve always kept a close eye on the emerging advanced air mobility industry.”

Loggia Investment, the investment arm of Aviterra, is also an investor in Pal-V.

"Aviterra and Mr. Wadaa have vast experience in aviation, understand our certification process, and have an excellent reputation in the business aviation industry,” said Pal-V's CEO and founder Robert Dingemanse. 

Related:Flying Car Company Plans Deliveries in 2024; Showroom Open

The flying vehicle differs from others coming to market around the world. Those are primarily VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) vehicles, which do not require a runway since they take off vertically, and most are electric.

The Pal-V Liberty is a gyroplane, which has relatively small, fixed wings and a rear propeller that pushes it forward, causing a rotor atop the vehicle to spin. The vehicle, somewhat of a cross between a helicopter and a plane, requires an airfield to take off and land and is powered by a 200-horsepower engine.

The two-person vehicle has a land range of 800 miles with a maximum speed of 100 mph and a flight range of up to 300 miles at a maximum altitude of 11,000 feet. 

Transformation from road driving to flying takes five minutes, according to the company.

Pal-V has different versions of its Liberty flying car, including a sport edition and a pioneer edition, which is highly personalized.

Retail showrooms for aerial vehicles already are in the works in the U.S. with others on the way.

For example, Aeroauto Mobile, located in Royal Palm Beach, Florida, has two EAV showroom locations in Florida, one in Hollywood and another in Palm Beach Gardens. It is also planning a showroom in Texas at the Greenport International Airport and Technology Center in Emerald Island.

Related:Flying Car Showroom Opens in Germany

The Pal-V showroom serves as a platform for buyers or investors. The vehicle is expected to cost in the range of $500,000.

Pal-V started road testing in 2020 with its 200-horsepower engine. The vehicle is targeted for individuals, taxi services, observation and inspection flight services.

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