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A comment on Terrafugia's flying car model has been approved for tests in US airspace. Parent comment

Re:Terrafugia's flying car model has been approved for tests... by markbnj on Monday December 21, 2015 @10:17AM (#10771430)
After watching the video on the linked page it seems to be a hybrid gasoline-electric system. But you can be forgiven your confusion, since the video apparently could get some of the other details straight. Moments after show the prop blades extending they described the power head as a "ducted fan," and then a few seconds later showed it scooting through the air with the blades folded.
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Re:Terrafugia's flying car model has been approved for tests... by matheweis on Monday December 21, 2015 @01:34PM (#10772555)
It appears to me that the "power head" / vtol portion is electric, and that there is a separate - presumably gasoline - "ducted fan" in the rear of the vehicle.

That would eliminate a substantial number of drivetrain complexities for the vtol / early forward portion of flight.

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Re:Terrafugia's flying car model has been approved for tests... by markbnj on Monday December 21, 2015 @02:26PM (#10772871)
Ah, that makes sense. Thanks for clearing it up. So they use the fans for lift until you get enough forward speed then tuck them.
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