The PAL-V Liberty flying car has passed stringent European road admission tests and is now is allowed on the streets with an official license plate. This was completed after a rigorous and extensive drive test program was carried out on test tracks since February 2020.
The PAL-V Liberty design has been going through aviation certification with EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) since 2015. Finalisation is expected in 2022.
Over 1,200 test reports need to be completed by the Dutch company before the final 150 hours of flight testing can take place. After this the deliveries to customers can begin.
Mike Stekelenburg, CTO of PAL-V, explains: “We have been cooperating with the road authorities for many years to reach this milestone. The excitement you feel in the team is huge. It was very challenging to make a “folded aircraft” pass all road admission tests.”
He adds: “For me, the trick in successfully making flying car is to ensure that the design complies with both air and road regulations. I feel the energy and motivation in our team to push hard for the last few milestones and get the Liberty certified for flying too.”
Hans Joore, test-driver of PAL-V, comments: “When I fired-up the PAL-V for the first time I got goosebumps! All the effort that we put into it came together at that crucial moment. Hearing the vehicle come to life was just magnificent and driving it was great. It’s very smooth and responsive to the steering and with a weight of just 660 kg it accelerates really well. The overall experience is like a sportscar. It feels sensational.”
The PAL-V will be undergoing endurance testing for the coming months, people can witness the PAL-V on the European roads from now on. In parallel, roadshows are being organised across Europe to demonstrate the PAL-V to potential customers.
