Summary
- Minnesota has legalized the use of hybrid car-airplane vehicles on state roads, following New Hampshire’s lead.
- The Switchblade Flying Sports Car, priced at $170,000, is one such vehicle that has generated interest and reservations.
- While the law has some limitations, it is a step forward in supporting the development and adoption of flying cars in Minnesota.
Minnesota enabled the operation of hybrid car-airplane vehicles on state roads and airstrips after Governor Tim Walz recently signed legislation into law, making it the second state in the US to do so.
The governor signed the legislation on May 15th and was prompted to do so in no small part by Samson Sky’s development of a new “roadable aircraft” (the legal term for flying car). The vehicle, called the Switchblade Flying Sports Car, is a two-person, three-wheel car with retractable wings and a hybrid-electric system. In flight, the Switchblade can reach 160 miles per hour and fly for a range of 450 miles below altitudes of 10,000 ft. It will retail for $170,000.
Early adopters
New Hampshire became the first state to legalize flying cars in 2020 and will follow on August 1st, 2024 when the “Roadable Aircraft Registration” bill (SF 3975) comes into effect. Minnesota state Senator John Janinski introduced the legislation.
Photo: Samson Sky
According to Government Technology, Dom Lonetti, the legislative assistant to Sen. Janinski had this to say about SF 3975:
“Our goal with the legislation is simply to assure that Minnesota has the regulations framework in place for roadable aircraft when they do start to eventually be produced for the public.”
The law has some limitations. These vehicles cannot take off from state highways or private roads; instead, they have to travel to an official airstrip and take off like an aircraft. However, it is still a big move forward and will help with the adoption of these machines. Sam Bousfield, the designer of the Switchblade and CEO of Samson Sky, said, “This type of legislation gives more credibility to the vehicles.”
Roadable aircraft
There are only a handful of viable flying cars at the moment, and pilots shouldn’t worry about the Minneapolis airspace being congested by these vehicles in the short term. However, companies are actively developing these machines.
Samson Sky has already presold 110 of the Switchblade, with another 2,400 odd reservations in the pipeline. Bousfield said production for the vehicle is set to begin within the next two years. The Switchblade is more conventional; it operates on gasoline and needs a runway to be airborne. However, other models on the market offer vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) to get airborne like helicopters. A prime example is the air taxi launched by Urbanlink Air Mobility, which uses an aircraft from Lilium, a German company. Electric motors power this aircraft, which can carry six passengers with a maximum range of 100 miles.
However, Bousfield believes that the Switchblade is superior, saying:
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There are already over 2,000 reservations to purchase the vehicle.
“We feel there will be increasing interest in the Switchblade because we are able to fulfill people’s wishes for a better regional travel experience. In addition, eVTOLs are currently good for 15-30 minutes of travel time before recharging is required. While the Switchblade can go over 450 miles on a single tank of gas, and a flight speed of 160 mph.”
The Switchblade would be the better option for private citizens, as it doesn’t require constant charging and can travel further. The Switchblade completed its maiden flight in 2023 and has more testing to do before it can be certified by the FAA.