Meet the Pop.Up, a concept for multi-modal
transportation that makes use of both ground as well as airspace, consisting of
three main layers.
First, you have an Artificial Intelligence platform
able to manage the travel complexity, offering alternative usage scenarios for
a seamless travel experience. Then there's the passenger capsule that can be
coupled with two different electric propelled modules (for ground and air), and
finally you have the interface module that interacts with users virtually.
The Pop.Up concept presented at this year's Geneva
Motor Show, basically combines the flexibility of a small two-seater road car,
with the freedom and speed of a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) air
vehicle, bridging the previously-mentioned automotive and aerospace domains.
From an operational standpoint, the system would
have passengers plan their journey and book their trip via an easy-to-use app.
Then the system would automatically suggest the best transportation method,
while taking into account timing, traffic congestion, costs, ridesharing
demands and so on.
If the trip is to be done by air, once completed,
the air and ground modules will autonomously return to dedicated recharge
stations in order to wait for their next customers.
In terms of dimensions, the concept's carbon fiber
cocoon measures 2.6 meters long, 1.4 meters high and 1.5
meters wide. Once coupled to the ground module, the vehicle becomes a
battery-powered city car, however for air travel, it works via a 5 by 4.4 meter air module propelled by eight counter-rotating rotors.
If you're curious about performance and
driving/flying range, know that the ground module is powered by two motors with
a total output of 60 kW (80 HP), needs 15 min to charge, will do 100 km/h and has a range of 130 km.
The air module on the other hand packs 182
HP, will also charge in 15 min, has the same top speed as the ground module,
yet its maximum range is shorter at 100 km (without payload).
