Joby Aviation has revealed that its prototype electric flying car, the Joby S4, has set records for speed and range of flight, placing itself as the model in development with the best numbers in these fundamentals.
After carrying out more than a thousand test flights, the Joby S4 reached the mark of 330km/h, beating the previous record of 322km/h (which was his own). In terms of flight range, the records were even more impressive, with 77 minutes and a distance of 248.8 km.
All this was possible thanks to the improvement of the six electric motors, which are now more efficient and resistant – although the power has not been revealed.
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According to Joby, the next step is to beat the operating ceiling record. The goal is to reach an altitude of 3,048 meters, making the Joby S4 to be considered the flying car — or eVTOL (electric vehicle with vertical take-off) — that comes closest to the behavior and use of an aircraft.
In addition to tests and records, Joby works hard to obtain the necessary certifications from the FAA, the aviation regulator in the United States. Even though it has all the conditions to perform long flights at good speed, the premise is that the Joby S4 is used in urban environments and rural displacements.
Nothing is by chance
One of Embraer’s main competitors in the segment, Joby Aviation has done a spectacular job on its flying car, but there is a good foundation to the whole project. One of the company’s investors is Toyota, which has already invested US$ 400 million to help develop the Joby S4.
In addition, Joby merged with Reinvent Technology, making it the leading company in the US eVTOL segment. Its market value today is US$ 6.6 billion.
Joby S4: when will it be released?
The Joby S4 will be homologated for one pilot and 4 passengers. Its commercial debut should take place in 2024.
