Samson Sky has revealed that Beyond Motors will be the primary electric motor supplier for production of the Switchblade Flying Car.
Beyond Motors has been providing motors for the marine, aviation, automotive, and racing industries for many years. By using the exclusive hybrid-electric Skybrid™ system, Samson Sky has been able to create a ‘flying sports car’ that is high performance both on the ground and in the air.
The Switchblade has an estimated 100+ mph ground speed (0-60 mph in just over 5 seconds), and 160 mph cruise speed in the air. It can reportedly fly up to 500 miles on one tank of premium automotive gas, available from any local gas station.
The gas engine powers generators that flow power directly to the motors at the wheels for the ground or the propeller motors for flight. This system was chosen to allow an easy upgrade to full electric flight as soon as battery technology becomes viable for this use.
The Switchblade Flying Sports Car is a street-legal, hybrid-electric vehicle that delivers high performance both on the road and in the air. Operators can drive the Switchblade from a garage to a nearby airport. Once there, the wings swing out and the tail extends—in under three minutes.
The registered aircraft can then be flown to the airport closest to the destination. Upon landing, it transforms back to driving mode—with wings and tail safely stowed—and can be driven the final miles. The Switchblade seats two side-by-side with space for travel bags.
Sam Bousfield, CEO Samson Sky and designer of the Switchblade, commented, “We’re proud to partner with Beyond, their e-motors are a perfect fit for our unique flying car hybrid-electric system. With the Switchblade you can fly whenever you want, and we’re looking forward to bringing the freedom of flight to people around the world.
“There’s nothing like flying above it all – the view out the window is amazing. This is the future of regional travel, giving you the option to drive or fly, bypass traffic, and not have to deal with the stress of commercial flights. You can reduce a 6-hour commercial flight trip (door to door) to a 3-hour fly/drive in a Switchblade, on your own schedule.”
