At the first instance, the above concept car may seem to be something inherently unique (or bizarre). At the second glance, however, you will begin to notice the unusually aerodynamic form, the conspicuous fuselage with propeller and the inverted vertical fins at the rear-side. Further inspection will reveal that in actuality it’s a fascinating fusion of a car and an airplane! Aptly christened as the Carplane, this arduously innovative design was conceived by a group of engineers at Germany’s Research airport in Braunschweig.
In its car mode, the Carplane will be an all-electric vehicle divided into two distinct spatial elements for a separate two-seater arrangement. According to designers, this vehicle can jauntily romp up to a top speed of 176 km/hr on road. But when the wings are spread with an ingenious sliding mechanism (check the video), the craft will use conventional fuel to take off (requiring a minimum distance of 85m for runway). The vehicle will fly at lower RPMs during this maneuvering period, thus contributing to mitigated noise levels and lower carbon emission. In its flight, the aircraft will be able to reach a maximum speed of 120 kts (222 km/hr).
With a truly collective approach to sustainability applied on both modes of transmission, the car/airplane concept can certainly be perceived as a future ‘green’ solution to not only pollution, but also to traffic predicaments. Just imagine a morning when the streets are crowded, and you are late for your date. By a nonchalant flick of a switch, you effortlessly launch into the expansive sky, much to the astonishment of those flabbergasted ‘ground dwellers’.
Via: CrazyEngineers/AutoMotto
