Although we keep hearing about eVTOL aircraft, barriers such as high prices and regulatory approval may always limit their widespread use. That shouldn't be a problem for the AirKart, though, as it could be rented and flown by anyone at dedicated closed-course race tracks.
Putting it simply, eVTOLs are short-range battery-electric aircraft that can perform vertical take-offs and landings (VTOLs) much like a helicopter. They're being developed by a number of companies, both as private commuter vehicles and as hail-able "air taxis."
Given the fact that they would be flying over busy city streets in public airspaces, however, it may be some time before they're legally allowed in most municipalities. Additionally, with estimated prices starting at around $200,000, they're not something that the average person could afford to own outright.
That's where the AirKart comes in.
Being developed by UK startup Elevate Racing, it's a carbon fiber/Kevlar monocoque single-seater eVTOL that was inspired by F1 race cars. And like a race car, it's designed for speed and agility, not for trips to the grocery store.
Instead of being flown around town, plans call for the vehicle to be used almost exclusively at dedicated AeroKarting tracks. There, novices and experienced racers alike could take AirKarts out on 15-minute flights for US$249 a pop. The aircraft will be electronically limited to a top speed of 100 km/h (62 mph) and a maximum altitude of 400 m (1,312 ft). For this reason and others, a pilot's license should not be necessary in the US and many other regions.
Importantly, while experienced racers could opt for a full-manual-control Sport Mode, novices will stick to to EasyFly. In this mode, utilizing GPS and LiDAR technology, the AirKart will autonomously avoid obstacles, land with a single button-press, and just generally be very easy to fly.
"As you progress, as you gather experience, we will unlock new features, we will unlock performance, we will unlock power. Then you will be able to use it fully," says Elevate Racing founder Marcin Michalczyk, who previously worked as a design engineer at now-defunct eVTOL firm Lilium. "When you start, you will just do basic turns, basic flights. It's not like you will just get in and start doing crazy aerobatics."
And while the AirKart may look like a quadcopter, it actually sports eight ducted coaxial propellers stacked in four groups of two. This design reportedly allows the vehicle to execute a safe automated landing even if four of its eight motors fail.
Needless to say, while the AirKart's big selling feature is its rentability, the folks at Elevate aren't turning their backs on people who want to buy one of the things for use on their own property. If everything goes according to plan, $199,000 will get you one, complete with flight training. Production is expected to commence next year, with deliveries following in late 2027.
And if you do wish to stick to renting, AeroKarting tracks are slated to open in the US, Caribbean, Europe, Middle East and Africa – also as of late 2027. A flying prototype should be in the air by the beginning of next year. Investors are being sought in the meantime.
"We see it as the ultimate toy," Michalczyk tells us. "But if you have a toy, you can't just fly it in straight lines, from A to B. It needs to be fun, it needs to be exciting, it needs to have a lot of power."
Source: Elevate Racing
