Terrafugia, which was acquired in November 2017 by China's Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, announced on Aug. 28 that it has signed a lease with Nashua Airport in New Hampshire in preparation for the prototype trial of the company's first flying car, the Transition, in 2019.
The Terrafugia prototype flight test is the final stage before the Transition could finally get the regulatory certifications the company needs to be declared as an authorized vehicle.
The lease, that involves the airport's 6,700 square feet of hangar and office space, comes after Terrafugia announced in July that it already started planning about the production of the Transition, an automotive vehicle, and a light sports aircraft rolled into one.
The company said that it may test up to eight prototypes at a single event to be scheduled by next year. The prototypes will subsequently be housed at the airport where a team of six to ten employees will continuously conduct evaluations of the flying cars' systems and functions. The airport will also serve as the training hub for test pilots.
In a statement, Phil Meteer, one of Terrafugia's test pilot, recalled how the team would test an aircraft at a rented airport while hunching over their laptops inside a truck parked on the tarmac. Now, Terrafugia is ramping up its operations as members look forward to more future prototypes to be tested.
Chris Lynch, Nashua Airport Manager, said hosting the Terrafugia's Transition prototypes testing is considered as the airport's major contribution to the evolving aviation industry.
To date, the Transition is designed as a two-seat auto and aircraft vehicle. The company announced updates on the flying car's safety systems, interior, and motor and flights mechanisms in July. The updates included a hybrid-electric motor, which allows the vehicle to be driven using a combination of an internal combustion engine. It also contains a lithium phosphate chemistry battery that is proven to be safer than other lithium battery. The Transition is also programmed with "boost" capability that will increase the vehicle's extra power while flying.
As for the vehicle's interior, the seats are now remodeled with an intuitive user interface experience and increased luggage space. All safety mechanisms, including seat belts, airbags, visibility cameras, parachute system, are enhanced.
Terrafugia was founded by a group of engineers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2006. At the time of the acquisition of the Geely Holding Group in 2017, it begins accepting $10,000 reservations for the Transition.
The vehicle, which promises to deliver the 400-mile flying range and a flight speed to 100 miles per hour, is estimated to come at a final price of $279,000 when the units officially enter the market.
