This ridiculous contraption is the Parajet Skycar, a carbon neutral "flying car" that's essentially a dune buggy with a propeller on the back and a parachute. While by looking at it you may think that it can only fly when driven off the roof of a skyscraper, the team behind it plans to fly it from London to Timbuktu sometime next year. Well, driving will be involved as well, but also flying!
It's powered by a biodiesel-modified motorcycle engine, and it can take off from an airstrip in less than 200 meters. It has a top speed of almost 70MPH and can travel for 186 miles at a high of up to 15,000 feet. That's pretty impressive for what essentially looks like a jury-rigged dune buggy. I wouldn't put my life in its hands, but your mileage may vary. It'll cost $70,000 if you want to try it yourself.
Green Launches, via New Launches
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By PeterD at 12:24 PM ON 07/17/08
$70,000?! Wasn't there a gyrocopter type thing on this site just a few weeks ago for $98,000? That thing seemed far better engineered, safer, more reliable, probably faster, and actually useful. Why would you buy this thing for $70,000?
By JD at 4:17 PM ON 07/17/08
Video of it in aaction?
By Pradeep at 12:31 AM ON 11/21/08
What gas mileage will I get driving/flying it?
I like the VTOL version (http://www.cojoweb.com/skycar.html)
I just want to say that a car cannot be carbon-neutral by itself, it is the fuel that makes it carbon-neutral.