Suzuki, Skydrive to launch flying cars by 2024
Tokyo, June 20 (EFE).- Japanese automaker Suzuki has struck a deal with startup SkyDrive to start making flying cars in 2024, the car manufacturer announced on Tuesday.
According to the agreement, SkyDrive, currently one of the most prominent manufacturers working on the development of flying cars after an investment push from Toyota, will use a Suzuki plant located in the Shizuoka prefecture in central Japan for the project, a Suzuki statement read.
“I’m very excited to be working together with SkyDrive. We will make ambitious strides toward the development of products of superior value, so that we can contribute to the realization of air mobility, which utilizes the sky for daily transportation,” Suzuki president Toshihiro Suzuki said.
The goal is to start producing flying cars “around spring of 2024,” the statement added.
The announcement comes as the 2023 Paris Air Show is underway in France until Sunday.
The SkyDrive flying vehicle is a three-seater model powered by electricity and with vertical takeoff and landing capabilities.
The startup launched in 2018 after four years of testing various prototypes and was placed in the media spotlight after receiving a significant investment from automobile giant Toyota.
“In our pursuit to consistently manufacture safe and high-quality aircraft for the world, we are grateful for the valuable know-how we will learn from Suzuki, a global leader in automobile mass production. Suzuki and SkyDrive will work closely towards the shared goal,” he added. EFE
mra/ch
