Two Cars that wish they could fly
These permanently grounded vehicles could almost sprout wings
It’s been a slow flying car news weekend so I decided to shake it up a bit, and make a special post about cars that look like they can fly.
Tritan A2
The first vehicle is none other than Tritan A2 - a Domino’s Pizza delivery car!
This reminds me of a car design that would be in WipEout or FZERO on Nintendo. Personally, a bunch of these going around a track at high speeds would be enough to get me excited, even if they didn’t make it off the ground.
The largely fiberglass construction results in a curb weight of just 900 pounds, and the arch-shaped airfoil at the rear provides excellent aerodynamic directional stability, causing the vehicle to slide if turned too sharply.
It's got a monocoque design with three wheels and a snazzy "Amick Arch" at the back that makes it super aerodynamic, with a drag coefficient of just 0.15. That's less than half of what regular cars could manage back in the day. Plus, it's mostly made of lightweight fiberglass, so it weighs in at only 900 pounds. And the arch-shaped airfoil at the back keeps it steady when you take those sharp turns - it's literally almost like riding on air.
Under the hood, this hovercraft shaped car rocks a 440cc air-cooled Syvaro rotary engine, packing a punch with 30 horsepower. With its futuristic look, it sips gas at 80 miles per gallon and can zoom up to 95 mph (27 kph). No wonder Domino's Pizza jumped on this unique contraption. They were all about speedy pizza deliveries, so they needed something efficient. It turns heads wherever it goes, grabbing headlines and giving Domino's some free advertising. Pizza on wheels is taken to the next level.
Original article I found for the Tritan: https://www.autoevolution.com/news/meet-the-tritan-a2-aerocar-an-aerocraft-inspired-three-wheeler-that-used-to-deliver-pizza-222780.html#agal_2
Aptera
The Apera is also a car that looks like it should fly, but does not. It has not been officially released yet (I already Pre-Ordered), but is one of the first fully solar and electric cars to come to a mainstream audience.
Here’s the wikipedia page on Aptera: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aptera_(solar_electric_vehicle)
The Aptera solar electric vehicle (sEV) is currently in development by Aptera Motors, a company that secured funding through crowdfunding. The primary objective of the Aptera sEV project is to create the most energy-efficient mass-produced vehicle globally. (and they aren’t kidding with 1000 mile range) This design incorporates several key features, including an aerodynamic shape, the use of lightweight materials like carbon fiber and fiberglass composites, wheel hub motors, and integrated solar panels, all of which contribute significantly to extending its driving range.
In June 2022, Aptera announced plans to scale up in-wheel motor production in Slovenia in collaboration with Elaphe, with the goal of manufacturing up to 100,000 units annually in a new research and development and production center spanning 160,000 square feet. Additionally, Aptera selected Maxeon Solar Technologies as the solar cell provider for their sEV in October 2022.
The Gamma(Production phase) Aptera prototype was unveiled in December, featuring a touch screen center console and improved head and legroom. In January 2023, Aptera announced the need for $50 million to commence assembly and secured a $21 million grant from the California Energy Commission (CEC). The Accelerator program also contributed to their funding efforts.
As of September 2023, Aptera's partner C.P.C. has begun producing the first carbon body parts using production tools at its Modena, Italy manufacturing facility. The Aptera sEV has garnered over 40,000 reservations by this time, signaling significant interest in its development and potential release.
If you’d like to reserve one, you actually can: https://aptera.us/reserve/
I might add to this article later if I see any more of these types of cars.