Important Innovations Collection

 JetX & Node Air Partnership                                                  Source:  Node Air Brand New Way to Travel Two Florida-based innovation companies, JetX and Node Air, are developing a unique transportation system involving detachable pods that connect to air and ground vehicles.  Here are the pertinent facts: A unique new form of integrated air and ground travel that is autonomous Ground transportation is provided by a passenger pod on an EV chassis that drives to the customer's location to pick them up The EV chassis has its own autonomous driving system, sensors, electric motors, batteries and steering Passenger is driven to a take-off point where an autonomous drone is waiting EV chassis releases the passenger pod and the drone secures the pod from above it Drone, with its own autonomous, aviation system flies ...

Air One eVTOL Successfully Transition from Hover to Cruising                                                       Source:  Air Air Goes For FAA Approval For Israeli startup company Air, their eVTOL Air One has reached a significant milestone.  The personal flying machine has successfully transitioned from hovering to cruising.  Several months ago, it also nailed lift-off to hover.  What this means is that Air can now go after FAA certification for Air One to fly and operate in the US.  The Israeli company is now shifting most of its operations to the US to focus on achieving necessary regulatory approval to fly here.  This new urban air mobility technology is definitely in the take-off lane. It's a fully electric, vertical takeoff and landing vehicle. Tech Specs Air One is designed for personal owne...

  Alef's Model A Is Big Competition for XPeng's X3                                             Source:  Alef Aeronautics The Future of Flying Cars is Fast Approaching California-based flying car company Alef Aeronautics has unveiled its 2-passenger flying car Model A.  The all-electric driving and flying car is going on pre-sale in early 2023 for a $1500 deposit.  It's priced at $300,000 for delivery in late 2025.  The company claims that the vehicle will be the only road-certified flying car that can do vertical takeoffs and landings like a helicopter and also drive on the road.  That puts Model A in direct competition with China-based XPeng's X3 flying car.  The X3 handles like a normal car on the road and easily transitions to an eVTOL for vertical takeoffs, landings and flight.  As I reported yesterday, the X3 has j...

Solo Concept:  Tiny, 1-Person Vehicles                                                   Source:  Renault Mobility Ilio Concept: "Street Furniture" with Charging Station Renault's Mobility innovation group has developed a very radical, tiny, one-person electric vehicle and fascinating "street furniture" which are mobile units with charging stations and more to support the vehicles.  Mobility is dedicated to sustainable, new mobility. Their micro electric vehicle is called Solo Concept and it's a minimalist, all-electric, one-person vehicle with a very small footprint at just 54" long, 35.4" wide and 69" high.  The accompanying eco-system called Ileo Concept is a network of mobile charging point destinations to support fleets of their tiny concept cars.  Renault views the idea as a forward-looking mobility...

AirCar, Liberty Sport & Switchblade                            Source: AirCar, Liberty Sport, Switchblade Flying & Driving Commuting Flying cars are a promised travel technology that innovators have been chasing for decades. Their time is about to come.  Three flying cars are now at the tipping point of going into production for sales in global markets.  The vehicles ready for takeoff, that are road legal with wings, include Slovakia-based Klein Vision's AirCar, Dutch company PAL-V International's Liberty Sport and Oregon-based Samson Sky's Switchblade.  They are heralding in a brand-new form of travel. Switchblade US-based Sampson Sky is promising deliveries of its 3-wheel flying car Switchblade in 2024. They already have 2100 orders for the vehicle from 53 nations.  Switchblade has been 14 years in development.  A gas engine powers one electric motor that drives the pr...

Plana's High Speed & Long Range eVTOLs                                                  Source:  Plana Target:  Intercity Travel South Korean startup Plana is developing a 7-seat hybrid-electric, vertical takeoff and landing vehicle (eVTOL) for intercity, regional commuter flights.  The company, founded by the executive who ran Hyundai's early eVTOL operations, plans to put their flying taxis into service in 2028.  The technology is specifically designed for longer haul, intercity flights such as Boston to New York City.  The vehicle has a 350-mile range on a charge and can travel at speeds up to 217 mph. Thus far, the company has raised nearly $10 million in investment funding.  Tech Specs The design of Plana's flying taxi is unique.  The fuselage is long and thin and flows into an upper main wing. T...

Hypersonic Hyperplane Destinus from Switzerland                                                  Source:  Destinus Future of Global Travel in Hyperplanes Switzerland-based Destinus SA is developing a hypersonic, hydrogen powered jet/rocket capable of reaching any destination in the world in one to two hours. The founder and CEO of the company is Mikhail Kokorich, who is a highly successful entrepreneur and called the "Elon Musk of Russia".  The vehicle is a hybrid rocket and jet aircraft, that combines a hydrogen, air breathing jet engine with a rocket engine.  The Chairman of the Advisory Board of Directors of Destinus is Philipp Rosler, who is the former German Minister of Economics and Technology and former Vice Chancellor of Germany.  He believes Destinus will help provide Europe with leadership in aerospace technologies...

Self-Driving "Living Room" Experience on Wheels                                            Source:  Audi Grandsphere Cutting Edge Automotive Technology Innovation Audi has just unveiled its Grandsphere concept vehicle.  It's a luxurious, electric, long form (17.6 feet) sedan that's a self-driving living room on wheels. This "2+2" seater is a completely new mobility vehicle with transformative technologies. The EV uses Level 4 self-driving technology, which provides fully autonomous driving under certain conditions.  It has a fully electric drive system.  When driving autonomously, the interior transforms into a living space with the most advanced digital technologies.  Audi says that Grandsphere passes beyond an automobile into an "experience device".  The technologies and design features of this new Audi concept are not just the...