A version of George Jetson’s flying car could be better for the environment than conventional cars, according to a study by the University of Michigan’s Center for Sustainable Systems and Ford Motor Company’s Research and Advanced Engineering team.
Researchers say flying cars, formally known as electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, or VTOLs, would be especially valuable in congested cities, as part of a rideshare taxi service.
They found emissions tied to battery-powered flying cars were 52 percent lower than gasoline vehicles and six percent lower than battery-electric vehicles. Several VTOL prototypes are in development.
