Rolls-Royce planning to sell flying cars in 2020s

Autonomous vehicles have only just begun to navigate our streets and already the world’s innovators are setting their sights on the next big transportation trend. Flying taxis. Uber plans to create a network of flying taxis in Dubai and the Dallas area by the year 2020. Kitty Hawk — a flying car startup created by Google cofounder Larry Page — is already offering test flights to potential customers.

This week, Rolls-Royce entered the fray, unveiling a concept electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle at the Farnborough International Airshow in Britain. The vehicle could carry as many as five passengers at speeds up to 250 miles per hour for approximately 500 miles, according to Rolls-Royce.

Rolls-Royce said the vehicle could be airborne as soon as the early 2020s, but the company said it plans to create a vehicle prototype within the next 18 months.

“Building on our existing expertise in electric technologies and aviation, Rolls-Royce is actively exploring a range of possible markets and applications for electric and hybrid electric flight,” said Rob Watson, who heads Rolls-Royce’s Electrical team, in a news release. “We are well placed to play a leading role in the emerging world of personal air mobility and will also look to work in collaboration with a range of partners.”

The British-based company makes commerical jet engines. Referring to Rolls-Royce as “pioneers,” Watson added that the company was among the first to develop turbo-prop and jet engines.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars — a company owned by German car manufacturer BMW — is not associated with the effort to create flying taxis.