ZEVA ZERO disc-shaped eVTOL speeds at 160 mph through the air

ZERO-EMISSION, ELECTRIC, VERTICAL AIRCRAFT

washington-based aerospace company ZEVA is bringing personal air transportation to everyone — with a low-cost, electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft called the ZERO. this zero-emissions disc-shaped vehicle can fly you at 160 mph through the air, and then fit into a conventional car parking space without any problem. ZEVA is currently flight-testing a full-scale prototype and is planning on prioritizing the emergency first responder markets, where getting a medic on scene faster can mean the difference between life and death.

all images courtesy of ZEVA

a new transportation solution

as the world population increases, surface transportation and infrastructure become more and more challenging. to address this issue, ZEVA opens up the third dimension for short-range travel, providing air vehicles that can take off and land anywhere, while cruising at high speed.

specifically, the aerospace company’s solution takes shape as a personal flying disc designed to move humans at high speed from point A to point B. the newly unveiled ZERO eVTOL sits almost vertically on its tail, and the pilot enters in such a way that their chest rests against the floor. a glass section in the nose allows them to see both ahead and below. at takeoff, the aircraft shoots up to the sky vertically, as if blown out of a cannon. once it transitions to forward flight, it’s winging horizontally.

fast, strong, flexible, and possibly autonomous?

according to ZEVA, the ZERO will be the fastest way to get anywhere within a 50-mile radius, by traveling over 160 miles per hour. meanwhile, the aircraft will be able to soar to several hundred feet, so flying in it should provide a quite intense physical experience. at the moment, the team at ZEVA is working towards making the eVTOL fully autonomous so anyone can safely fly, even without a pilot’s license.

the vehicle’s impressive performance derives from its blended wing-body design and octocopter layout. this patent-pending configuration provides a wing-borne lift during cruise, and yet is compact enough to fit into a standard car parking space. what’s more, the vehicle incorporates dual propellers attached to four nacelles that are driven by a 25-kW battery pack. once the ZERO transitions to horizontal flight, four of the propellers retract and the 8-foot diameter, carbon-fiber body acts as a lift-generating wing.