- 14 Mar 2002
- 21,056
- 18,911
Toyota Motor announced on Saturday that it had successfully conducted a test flight of a flying car in Japan for the first time. The aircraft, a prototype developed by the U.S. startup Joby Aviation, in which Toyota has invested, had already undergone successful test flights in the U.S. The eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft, capable of reaching approximately 320 kilometres per hour, was unveiled to the media for the first time in Japan at Toyota's research and development facility in Susono, Shizuoka Prefecture.
As eVTOL aircraft are quieter than helicopters, they are ideal for urban taxi services. Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda expressed his enthusiasm for the potential impact of this technology, stating that a journey from Tokyo to the facility, which typically takes four to five hours by car, could be reduced to a mere 25 minutes by air.
Photo credit: Toyota Motor
Paywall alert:
As eVTOL aircraft are quieter than helicopters, they are ideal for urban taxi services. Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda expressed his enthusiasm for the potential impact of this technology, stating that a journey from Tokyo to the facility, which typically takes four to five hours by car, could be reduced to a mere 25 minutes by air.
Photo credit: Toyota Motor
Paywall alert:
Toyota takes flight: Flying taxi tested for 1st time in Japan
Aircraft provided by U.S. startup Joby Aviation has a top speed of 320 kph