Moller International Skycar® 200 (concept design)

Skycar® 200 (concept design)
Moller International / Freedom Motors
Dixon, California, USA
www.moller.com
www.freedom-motors.com

Moller International was founded in 1983 as a spin-off of Moller Corporation to continue to design, develop and manufacture conventional and hybrid-electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) passenger and cargo aircraft. Moller's aircraft being manufactured for use in the nascent advanced air mobility (AAM) industry. The company is designing aircraft that are safe, efficient, affordable, easy-to-use as automobiles, low noise, low emissions, low fuel usage, low purchase price, low operating cost and can use existing transportation networks. The company is headquartered in Dixon, California, USA.

The company has developed and integrated novel technologies required for small, powered-lift VTOL aircraft. These include electronic stabilization and control systems, efficient ducted fan designs, thrust vectoring mechanisms and aerodynamically stable composite airframe structures. The single most significant spin-off technology is the Rotapower engine, a Wankel rotary engine. This engine is now produced and marketed by Freedom Motors.

Historically, the company has primarily focused on using petroleum fueled engines for their power source of their aircraft designs and prototypes. Moller International confirmed in June 2023, they are now designing all their aircraft as hybrid-electric VTOL passenger and cargo aircraft. At the same time, it was also confirmed with Moller that any of their past and current aircraft can be designed and manufactured as hybrid-electric VTOL or all-electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

Skycar® 200 hybrid-electric VTOL passenger concept design aircraft
The Skycar® 200 is a hybrid-electric VTOL two passenger concept design aircraft that has a sleek fuselage, two ducted fan nacelles for forward flight, two VTOL-only electric ducted fans, a three-quarter folding box wing, a vertical stabilizer and retractable wheeled landing gear. The cruise speed at sea level and at 65% power is expected to be 205 mph (330 km/h). The maximum speed at sea level is approximately 242 mph (389 km/h). The cruise speed at 25,000 ft (7,620 m) is calculated at 300 mph (482 km/h). The maximum speed on the road is anticipated at 30 mph (~48 km/h). The range of the aircraft with two passengers and at 122 mph (196 km/h) is intended to be 434 miles (698 km). The predicted flight time at sea level is 3.7 hours.

Freedom Motor Rotapower® engines use ethanol fuel and the aircraft also uses batteries. Continuous total engine power is calculated at 170 hp (126.8 kW) and the electrical motor power (at 90 seconds) is 85 hp (63.4 kW) per motor. The empty weight of the aircraft is targeted at 920 lb (417 kg), with a maximum payload 400 lb (181 kg) and a maximum takeoff weight of 1,320 lb (599 kg). The length of the aircraft is planned to be 14 ft (4.27 m), the width is 8.5 ft (2.59 m) and the height is 6 ft (1.83 m). There are also redundancies of critical components in the sub-systems of the aircraft for additional safety of the passengers. The aircraft has a whole aircraft emergency ballistic parachute in case some or all systems fail during flight.

No time estimate has been made for when production aircraft might begin.

Specifications:

• Aircraft type: Hybrid-electric VTOL two passenger concept design aircraft
• Piloting: 1 pilot
• Capacity: 1 passenger
• Cruise speed (sea level at 65% power): 205 mph (330 km/h)
• Maximum speed (sea level): 242 mph (389 km/h)
• Cruise speed (25,000 ft/7,620 m): 300 mph (482 km/h)
• Maximum speed (on the road): ~30 mph (~48 km/h)
• Range (with two passengers at 122 mph/196 km/h): 434 miles (698 km)
• Flight time (sea level): 3.7 hours
• Empty weight: 920 lb (417 kg)
• Maximum payload: 400 lb (181 kg)
• Maximum takeoff weight: 1,320 lb (599 kg)
• Propellers: 4 ducted fans
• Engines: 2 Freedom Motor Rotapower® engines
• Electric motors: 2 electric motors
• Electrical Motor Power (90 seconds): 85 hp (63.4 kW) per motor
• Continuous Engine Power (total): 170 hp (126.8 kW)
• Power source: Batteries and ethanol fuel
• Fuselage: Carbon fiber composite
• Window: Canopy over cockpit
• Wings: 1 main low folding wing
• Tail: 1 vertical stabilizer
• Landing gear: Retractable tricycle wheeled landing gear
• Safety features: Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP), provides safety through redundancy for its passengers and/or cargo. DEP means having multiple propellers (or ducted fans) and motors on the aircraft so if one or more propellers (ducted fans) or motors fail, the other working propellers (or ducted fans) and motors can safely land the aircraft. There are also redundancies of critical components in the sub-systems of the aircraft. There are also redundancies of critical components in the sub-systems of the aircraft. The aircraft has a whole aircraft emergency ballistic parachute.

Related Aircraft:

• Moller International Aerobot® (concept design)
• Moller International Autovolantor (concept design)
• Moller International Firefly (concept design)
• Moller International Neuera 200 (prototype)
• Moller International Skycar® 100 (prototype)
• Moller International Skycar® 400  (prototype)
• Moller International Skycar® 600 LAMV (concept design)
• Moller International Skycar® M200 (prototype)
• Moller International Skycar® M900 (concept design)

Company Insights:

• Pitchbook
• Crunchbase
• Tracxn

Resources:

• Moller International website
• Freedom Motors website
• Moller International Facebook
• Moller International Twitter
• Moller International YouTube Channel
• Moller International LinkedIn
• Article: Flying car guru gets more down to Earth, NBC News, Sept. 13, 2007
• Article: TechFuture: Hold On! Paul Moller's Skycar Is Coming, Huffington Post, May 17, 2014
• Article: Paul Moller, CEO of Moller International, Inc. (MLER), to Be Interviewed LIVE on Clear Channel Business Talk Radio - September 2nd, 2014, Y!Sports, Sept. 1, 2014