Terrafugia flying car
Photo: LotPro Cars via CC
It turns out that GM is (once again) considering developing a flying car. Earlier this week, GM CEO Mary Barra briefly alluded to the company’s interest in “aerial mobility.” She views it as an extension of GM’s Ultium electric battery system.
GM spokesman Stuart Fowle made a vague (but supportive) comment endorsing the company’s new potential trajectory, saying, “it’s an area we’re really excited about and looking at.”
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Shifting from rumors to reality
CEO Mary Barra is leading GM in an exciting new direction
Photo: © General Motors
This isn’t the first time that GM has played with the idea of flying cars. A couple of years back, we discussed the preliminary rumors that GM was starting to consider aerial mobility as a potential technology to explore sometime in the future. However, Barra’s statement indicates that the company might start actively pursuing this technology sooner than expected.
According to Reuters’ Ben Klayman, GM’s innovation group is playing a huge role in steering the company in this new direction. New hire Alan Wexler, senior vice president of innovation and growth, is spearheading the aerial mobility initiative. His team views flying cars as just one of the budding alternative transportation markets that GM should invest in.
We’ll have to wait a bit longer to see what GM’s aerial mobility venture will look like. Flying cars are still in the conceptual stage and have a long way to go before production. So, it’s likely that the company will partner with already-existing startups or other automakers who are pursuing this niche.
Regardless of how GM chooses to get into the aerial mobility field, we’re confident that the automaker will use it to fine-tune its electric vehicle technology while applying it in a new way. Learn more about GM’s Ultium vehicle battery and EV platform, as we wait for the company to reveal more details about its flying car trajectory.
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Whitney Russell resides in Dayton, though her spirit can be found beach-bumming in Puerto Rico (the land of her half-Puerto Rican heritage). When not crafting car-related content, she can be found chasing after the most amazing toddler in the world, watching her “beaver” of a husband build amazing woodworking projects, hanging out with two crazy dogs, and visiting family and friends. She also enjoys traveling, crafting, and binge-watching period dramas when time allows. See more articles by Whitney.
