Flying Cars

touch-n-go

Well-Known Member
Thought this was quite stupid, but its in the news.....

http://news.yahoo.com/bigger-automakers-focus-flying-cars-tesla-investor-003332926--sector.html

Bigger automakers should focus on flying cars: Tesla investor
DETROIT (Reuters) - An investor in Tesla Motors Inc thinks it may be time for big competitors of the electric car maker to admit defeat on their electric models and focus on the next technological leap, perhaps flying cars.
While electric cars are a small percentage of overall sales, more automakers are making them, following General Motors Co'sChevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid and Nissan Motor Co's all-electric Leaf. Tesla started with a high-priced electric roadster that it is phasing out. It recently launched a more mainstream Model S sedan.
Tim Draper, founder of venture capital firm Draper Fisher Jurvetson, which backed Tesla when it began and is a shareholder, said the Model S launch and plans for other electric vehicles are bad news for Detroit's "Big 3" automakers.
Referring to the Model S starting price of $57,000, Draper said if he were a Detroit automaker, he would be looking to leapfrog Tesla. He spoke to Reuters on the sidelines of a technology conference in Detroit.
"I would be saying, ‘OK, they've won this. Now let's move to flying cars.'"
GM and Nissan officials declined to comment on Draper's statement, but a former GM executive called it "absurd."
"I'm not surprised that GM and Nissan declined to comment," said Bob Lutz, GM's former vice chairman and one of the people credited with helping to create the Volt. "It's so absurd that one doesn't want to dignify it with a rejoinder."
Draper, who bought the eighth Model S to roll off the production line, said he has no plans to sell the electric car maker's stock unless perhaps it becomes as valuable as Toyota Motor Corp's.
The Model S is Tesla's most crucial launch and it has said the vehicle will account for 90 percent of its revenue this year.
Tesla has said it expects to deliver 5,000 Model S sedans by year end and 20,000 in 2013, but three weeks it ago had built only 100.
Through August, GM and Nissan had sold about 13,500 Volts and about 4,230 Leafs, respectively, in the United States.
Tesla shares ended 1.7 percent higher at $28.28 on the Nasdaq on Wednesday.
(Reporting by Ben Klayman in Detroit; editing by Matthew Lewis)
 
Next time you see a Krylon blue 1986 Crysler LeBaron blowing smoke down the road with the muffler dragging along and a cigarette butt being tossed out the window, ask yourself, "Is the flying car really a good idea?"
 
Saw this at the AOPA summit last year, so sketchy looking.
http://www.terrafugia.com/index.html

They do the aircraft testing at Plattsburgh International (KPBG) Ive seen it flying there a bunch of times, last night It was out doing night testing. Its not a bad idea IMO but not a great one either cuz I see that think taking one pothole on the road, bending a strut, and now you have an un airworthy plane, thats gonna be expensive to fix. It will be intreating how well this thing takes off (pun intended)
 
Back
Top