From Asphalt to Azure - This Electric Flying Contraption Might Just Work… Eventually
Image Credit: Dezső Molnár.
Feast your peepers on the "Streetwing," a contraption dreamt up by a chap named Dezső Molnár, residing, naturally, in the land of dreams and questionable decisions: Los Angeles, California. The name itself conjures up images of something sleek and predatory, perhaps an electric skateboard for particularly brave pigeons. But no, this is a flying car.
Molnár's vision, while still firmly planted in the realm of "hold my beer," has a certain audacity to it. This isn't some wild napkin drawing; this bloke has been tinkering with the idea for the better part of a decade. His aim? To build a machine that can happily pootle down to the shops and then, when the mood strikes, sprout wings and take to the skies. The sheer bloody-mindedness of it all is almost admirable.
Image Credit: Dezső Molnár.
A quick delve into the mind of Molnár reveals a character straight out of a Boy's Own Annual adventure. We're talking about a bloke who's piloted military cargo planes, judged the X-Prize (so he's clearly got a taste for the outlandish), and even been a crew chief for a land speed record car that nearly cracked the sound barrier on terra firma. And he's flown a motorcycle. Yes, a flying motorcycle. At this point, one has to wonder if his morning coffee is laced with rocket fuel. And to top it all off, he's a member of the Explorers Club, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Buzz Aldrin and Jane Goodall. The man's clearly not short of a yarn or two at a dinner party.
The genesis of this airborne automobile stems from Molnár's desire to traverse the Pan-American Highway, a mere 20,000-mile jaunt from the chilly reaches of Alaska down to the tango-infused lands of Argentina. A noble ambition, to be sure. However, there's a rather inconvenient 60-mile splodge of impenetrable jungle and swamp known as the Darién Gap slap-bang in the middle. Most sensible people would, you know, take a boat. But not our Dezső. His solution? Simple! Just build a car that can sprout wings and merrily fly over it. Because why not, eh?
Image Credit: Dezső Molnár.
The "Streetwing," as he calls it, is currently masquerading as a street-legal, 17-foot-long "electric motorcycle." This is apparently down to some bureaucratic quirk involving two front wheels and one at the back. Powering this land-based tomfoolery is a 52-kilowatt electric motor pilfered from a Zero motorcycle, driving the rear propeller (for now, presumably just making a rather impressive breeze at traffic lights) and an 8-kilowatt hub motor turning the rear wheel.
But the grand plan involves something with a bit more oomph: the powertrain from a Lightning Strike R electric motorcycle. That would be a hefty 180 horsepower and 120 pound-feet of torque, which should certainly get the old girl moving. Molnár reckons this setup will allow a 0-to-60 mph sprint in around 10 seconds using just the rear wheel, before the propeller kicks in for the airborne shenanigans. The wings themselves are currently more for show and storage, two sets of lightweight seven-footers, mimicking the layout of his beloved xWing. He's still figuring out the crucial bit of actually attaching them safely for flight. A minor detail, one might say.
Image Credit: Dezső Molnár.
In a stroke of what can only be described as slightly unhinged genius, Molnár envisions these wings having other uses. Imagine, if you will, orienting them vertically to catch the wind, turning your flying car into a land yacht, gracefully gliding across desolate highways or frozen lakes. And while you're gallivanting about powered by Mother Nature, the rear wheel could act as a generator, juicing up the batteries for future escapades, be they terrestrial or aerial.
And the pièce de résistance? Parking your flying car nose-first into a gentle 15-mph breeze and using the wings as a wind turbine to charge the batteries. Apparently, the current setup could generate a rather respectable 6,000 watts in such a scenario. Molnár points out the added benefit of electric power: quieter operation, making more of those quaint little airfields accessible, and the ability to even reverse the prop for braking upon landing. A far cry from the bellowing din of traditional aircraft.
Image Credit: Dezső Molnár.
He also touches on the rather pertinent point of fuel costs. Back in the good old days, aviation fuel was cheaper than a pint of milk. Now? Not so much. Molnár reckons his electric contraption could slash the cost of flying from around $100 an hour to a measly dollar. And with Level 3 charging, a quick ten-minute pit stop could take the batteries from 20 to 80 percent. Plus, you can simply drive away from the airfield to find a decent charging point, something often lacking at smaller airstrips.
The Streetwing itself weighs a svelte 560 pounds without a pilot or batteries, leaving a respectable 540 pounds for the important bits – you, the batteries, and your luggage (presumably just a toothbrush and a very large sense of adventure). Molnár anticipates a driving range of at least 200 miles or 100 miles in the air before needing a jolt. In the skies, it'll be good old stick and rudder for control, while on the ground, a conventional steering wheel will suffice.
Image Credit: Dezső Molnár.
After a decade of tinkering, why isn't this magnificent beast soaring through the skies yet? It turns out that going from a concept into a flying, road-legal machine is rather complicated and, more importantly, wallet-emptyingly expensive. While a few kind souls have chipped in with design and testing, the whole shebang has been self-funded. Building a carbon fiber fuselage, sorting out the suspension and flight equipment, and, crucially, those tricky attaching wings - it all adds up.
Molnár, ever the optimist, is open to sponsorship proposals. So, if you happen to have a spare million or two rattling around and fancy being part of this gloriously madcap endeavor, now's your chance. Once those minor hurdles are overcome, the Streetwing will, in theory, trundle down the road, build up some speed, the propeller will take over, and off it pops into the wild blue yonder.
Image Credit: Dezső Molnár.
Just in case you were wondering, this isn't Molnár's first adventure in the world of bizarre vehicular mashups. Back in 2005, he birthed the "Molnár GT," a "gyrocycle" – part motorcycle, part gyroplane – which now proudly resides in the Smithsonian next to the Wright Flyer. Clearly, the man has a penchant for the unconventional.
Small detail sums it all up pretty well - air conditioning and cupholders are apparently for the faint of heart. "I'm positioning for exploration," Molnár declares. "Let's just fly," he says. And you know what? Despite the inherent lunacy of it all, I find myself strangely agreeing.
