As cool as the Hoversurf Hoverbike is, the company is now working on another electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air vehicle, the Hoversurf Formula. There are bigger ambitions for the latter.
Who Needs MTV When We Have Electric HoverSurf Bikes & The Hoversurf Formula?
Seriously now, how much fun would it be saying goodbye to colleagues as you make your way up the elevator to your eVTOL commuter, watching them go down road congestion hell while you go toward the sky? And as cool as a flying electric motorcycle is, HoverSurf is now going after the eVTOL challenge with a 4 to 6 passenger payload and 100 to 400 miles of range, or even further depending on its flight configuration.
From a flying electric bike to an air taxi, the Hoversurf Formula is a larger eVTOL aircraft matching those of Pipstrel, Embraer, and others in the industry. This electric aircraft uses no less than 52 fixed fans with folding wings to extend its flight range. The Formula is configured in 2 rows of 6 fans on both sides of the passenger compartment in front and in back. Altogether, 48 fans are used for lift, with the remaining 4 larger fans behind the passenger module only used in cruise mode.
Instead of using a traditional turboshaft, HoverSurf opted for a turbine and alternator configuration. It developed its own free-piston engine (FPE) Venturi fans, which you can see below.
The HoverSurf Formula eVTOL Venturi Effect
Its patented “Venturi engine” is fixed (not thrust vectored), according to eVTOL.news. In a nutshell, a Venturi fan uses ordinary atmospheric air injected into the output stream of the engine/jet, which creates an additional stream that helps reduce the noise level of the high-speed jet inside the stream. This offers a significant increase in electric motor efficiency while lowering noise, a win-win situation.
This is the reason HoverSurf thinks this “formula” (pun intended) for its Formula Venturi fans is more efficient than the usual ducted fans (EDF).
Another interesting note about the HoverSurf Formula’s Venturi fans is that they are 2× as small as and safer than a traditional propeller’s thrust, with all rotating mechanisms hidden. The Formula can easily act as an eVTOL aircraft — helicopter — or somewhat as a conventional airplane.
Technically, the HoverSurf Formula carries a ballistic parachute and can reach speeds of up to 250 km/h (155 mph) with a range of 300 km (186 miles) covered in 1.2 hours of flight time. It can be manned or autonomous and will presumably become fully autonomous as AV-eVTOL technology matures.
What especially caught my attention was Hoversurf estimating the Formula’s energy cost to be $0.29/km (0.6 miles) and a predicted cost below $100,000.
Another Air Taxi In The Sky Soon?
We need eVTOL aircraft, especially those designed to carry more than one passenger, but I still want my flying electric motorcycle. In an ideal world, I’ll use my HoverSurf Bike to get to my HoverSurf Formula.
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