Cars + Trucks
The Hover Car: Science Fiction No Longer
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Not long ago, the idea of hover cars zooming in between the skyscrapers of the world’s largest cities was only feasible in various futuristic films and science fiction novels. However, it appears as if fantasy is slowly, but surely, catching up to reality. As technology advances at light speed on a yearly basis, the brightest engineers now have what it takes to create hover cars. Granted, the hover cars of today will pale in comparison to the hover cars of the future. With that said, let’s take a look at the concept of the hover car and what it may have in store for the transportation of tomorrow.
The Hover Car Conceptualized
The concept of a hover car is quite simple: it is a vehicle that has the ability to hover a few feet off of the ground and travel in any direction. The best way to conceptualize a hover car is to picture your car, the one sitting out in your driveway or street, with mini jet engines under it. Say that you are stuck in traffic and have somewhere to be. With the flip of a switch or push of a button, your car’s wheels magically fold up and it begins to float off of the ground. Instead of wheels, your car is no longer glued to the road, but instead has four mini jet engines pushing massive amounts of air straight down.
Now that you are say, 30 feet off of the ground and above traffic, you want to move forward. You are able to do so with basically the same sort of mini jet engine that has moved you off of the ground, but instead is located at the rear of your vehicle. Just like flying a plane, you pull your steering wheel back and your car magically thrusts forward at 100km/h, leaving the traffic jam behind and allowing you to arrive at your destination early.
Not There Yet
The above scenario is likely to take place many decades down the road. However, there are currently countless concept hover cars out there that imitate the hover car of tomorrow, just not in the same fashion. Many concept hover cars of today are only able to thrust a few feet off of the ground, not the thirty feet or so that would make it practical for everyday use. Plus, these concepts are only able to reach top speeds of around 50mph. On top of that, there are laws that govern the legality of what can and what cannot be used on public roadways. Never the less, let’s take a look at a couple of standouts.
Axon Anti-Gravity RC Racer
Even though the RC Racer is small (only a few inches tall) and is unable to transport a person, it is a concept that may have futuristic implications for full sized hover cars. The RC Racer is able to hover a few inches off of the ground thanks to two powerful fans that are powered via a brushless electric motor. A brushless motor may seem complicated, but is actually a more efficient electric motor than that its predecessor, the brush motor. If you have ever seen an older electric drill in action, you are able to see sparks inside of it. This is a brush composed of metal wires striking another piece of metal, which in turn creates an electric charge. Even though it may seem small, this little hover “car” packs a punch, as it is able to hit speeds up to 50mph!
Moller M200G Hover Car
The Moller M200G is one of the first hover cars produced for mainstream use. Resembling an open air flying saucer, the M200G is able to carry two people ten feet off of the ground at 50mph. The thrust power comes compliments of eight rotary engines (an engine first developed during the World War I era that houses a stationary crankshaft that spins a cylinder block around it) and is stabilized at this altitude with high tech electronics. This hover car is for anyone, as it is classified as a recreational vehicle (like an ATV), but is not legal to drive on the road. Even though this is a good start and has hit the mainstream, it will set you back anywhere from $90,000 to $125,000 USD.
Time Will Tell
The above-mentioned hover vehicles are just a snapshot of what is being developed, as there are many companies working towards the goal of a road-air worthy vehicle.
There is a good chance that some of the potentially popular hover car concepts of the future will come to us via the world’s militaries. Currently, companies are looking to build hover vehicles that are capable of floating above dangerous land mines and other explosive devices that can be implanted into the ground.
A potential obstacle for hover cars will be fuel efficiency. The jet engine like technology needed to allow a vehicle to hover still consumes massive amounts of fuel (like a commercial jetliner) and with fuel prices and the green movement a popular topic of discussion, “greener” jet engines may in fact be the key to future hover cars.
Never the less, do not be surprised in a few decades when you look outside and see a milieu of hover crafts travelling the “air roadways” of tomorrow that will make current travel times a thing of the past.
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