Aircraft: AeroMobil AM 4.0

Milestones:
Flight tests (2021)

Our Review:

Designed to be certified under EASA CS 23, the AM 4.0 looks like the standard vision of a flying car with folding wings. Based on footage and press releases, the AM 4.0 does in fact fly, convert and drive. With some remarkable engineering and sleek design, no doubt this vehicle will catch eyes in the air and on the ground. The landing gear uses a traditional car-style 4 wheels that raise for take-off and landing, and retract for aerodynamic flight. The fixed-wing design allows for higher cruise speed and efficiency in the air, but means extra weight and poor sightlines on the ground.

The design and engineering looks promising, but unfortunately there have not been many updates since 2022, when AeroMobil promised to start delivering to customers in 2023. They may have shifted focus to the 4-seater AM NEXT which aims at the air taxi market in order to compete with the likes of Joby. It lacks the VTOL functionality, but due to its dual mode design, can make complete door-to-door trips with a single vehicle.

While we have high hopes that the concept will work, it faces some serious challenges to become road legal. As a 4-wheeler, it not only carries extra weight (as opposed to a 3-wheeler) but faces extra requirements to be an M1 class road vehicle. That means crash testing, which is very difficult for typically light-weight aircraft made of carbon fiber and aluminum. Also, based on the brochure, the AM 4.0 uses a standard automotive engine, which means it will face extra scrutiny to achieve airworthiness certification.

The delay on delivery is not surprising, as the design challenges are certainly big. But not impossible to overcome.

*Range, endurance, and max speed are reported by the manufacturer. These specifications are not yet verified by performance tests. Personal Air Mobility comments on these claims in engineering reviews, but does not independently verify their validity.