Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been compared to a sort of real-life Tony Stark, the brash albeit fictional billionaire genius of the Marvel multiverse also known as Iron Man, portrayed by the acclaimed actor Robert Downey, Jr. for movie-goers everywhere. However, this week’s media cycle belongs to Howard, Tony’s father. Howard, also a brash but fictional genius, is known for introducing a flying car to the thrilled attendees of the 1943 “World of Tomorrow” event depicted in the 2011 film Captain America, and, well…you know what happened in the movie…

Tonight is the night that Elon Musk plans to unveil Tesla’s newly re-launched Roadster EV, rumored to be a Stark-level flying car of sorts. CleanTechnica has previewed the event here, though the big question being whether or not the car will actually leave the ground.

Maybe it will, and maybe it won’t. In the meantime, other electric vehicles presented as “flying cars” have already begun to emerge. Of course, many of these look more like aircraft with wheels than cars with wings. The distinguishing feature is VTOL, the ability to take off and land vertically, with a seamless transition to horizontal flight in between so you don’t mistake them for helicopters (see more VTOL background here, here, and here).

The VTOL field also has a more car-adjacent side, with the new Airspeeder International Series serving as a competitive showcase for flying EVs that resemble cars, if somewhat vaguely.

“ We have been promised flying cars for generations,” Airspeeder proclaims, perhaps referring to Howard Stark’s somewhat optimistic prediction that his 1943-era flying car would be available “soon.”

Source link