AT CES 2023, ASKA debuted a full-scale, functional prototype of its ASKA A5 drive & fly electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
This model was launched as the world’s first drive & fly eVTOL, which ASKA said would deliver “easy door-to-door transportation”.
The 4-seater vehicle is the size of a large SUV and aims to combine the convenience of an automobile with the time-efficiency of flight.
When airborne, it has a range of up to 250 miles and a speed of up to 150 miles per hour.
For drive mode, ASKA hopes to obtain highway certification for the vehicle to operate at a speed of 70 miles per hour, but the first deliveries may be limited to local roads, it said.
The company said it believed it was currently on target for 2026 commercialisation, and was expecting FAA approval for an experimental permit to fly the prototype within the next month.
ASKA A5 is powered by lithium ion batteries and a range extender that uses premium gasoline. It can be charged at home or at conventional EV stations while parked in standard US parking spaces. The range extender engine can also be filled at local automotive stations.
ASKA said this vehicle was compatible with exiting infrastructure and its use would not require investment in electrification, parking or terminals.
