Terrafugia's Flying Car Gets Exterior Makeover

Apparently building a flying car isn't easy: Terrafugia has been working for more than two years to get its TF-X hybrid electric aircraft off the ground.

This week, the firm revealed an updated exterior design dubbed the Outer Mold Line, or OML, for its four-seat, vertical takeoff and landing (VOTL) plane-car.

"TF-X is the practical realization of the dream of countless visions of the future," the company website said. "It is designed to be the flying car for all of us."

What looks like a sedan with wings, the TF-X does not require a runway. Instead, the device operates like a helicopter, with twin 600 hp electric motor pods, each of which comes with 16 separate motors.

Those pods lay forward during flight to recharge its batteries via a 300 hp engine. The propellers also fold for cruise, letting the engine take over, to reach speeds of up to 200 mph.

The vehicle, according to Terrafugia, covers a range of 500 miles before needing to recharge. Plus, it lands for you, though passengers can override the system if necessary.

But don't expect a lift to the in-laws this Christmas. Terrafugia (Latin for "escape from the land") is aiming to release a consumer version of its light hybrid between 2021 and 2025.

Even then, you won't have to book flight training, or even retake your driver's test: Learning to safely operate a TF-X vehicle should take no more than five hours, the company said.

Plus, the flying automobiles will automatically avoid air traffic, bad weather, and restricted and tower-controlled airspace. It also comes with a backup full-vehicle parachute—just in case.

"These new developments represent exciting, significant progress on the path towards the realization of Terrafugia's revolutionary vision for the future of personal transportation," the company said in an announcement.

The car maker also this week announced plans to test a one-tenth scale model of its prototype in a wind tunnel.

"The model will be tested at the MIT Wright Brothers wind tunnel, the same tunnel that was used to test models of Terrafugia's Transition," the company said.

The miniature model—on display at EAA's AirVenture in Wisconsin—will measure drag, lift, and thrust forces, while also simulating hovering flight, transitioning to forward flight, and full forward flight.

The Transition, Terrafugia's first flying car, completed its initial test flight in April 2012. During its eight minutes in the air, the Transition reached an altitude of 1,400 feet above the ground.

The two-seater with folding wings can be reserved online, and will cost about $279,000.