Some sci-fi writers thought by the time we reached the year 2025, our skies would be full of flying cars. But even Elon Musk, a man who seems determined to turn some of the darkest and most dystopian science fiction into reality, has expressed doubts about the viability of flying cars. But flying toys on the other hand...
Tesla's produced some strange products over the years. Remember the Tesla drinking glasses and the Cybertruck cat basket? In comparison, a levitating Cybertruck desk decoration in time for Christmas is fairly on brand. But some Tesla fans seem to think it's a sign.
The levitating Tesla Cybertruck is described as a 1:24 scale model of the real thing (hopefully with fewer design fails). It seems to be missing some major details, like doors, but it does have functional headlights and taillights. It also levitates above its base, where it can either stay motionless or rotate if you give it a gentle tap. A button on the base turns the lights on or off.
The floating effect is created by magnets and doesn’t really add any function. That hasn't stopped some fans speculating about whether it could be confirmation that Tesla is now looking at producing a flying car.
Alas, the floating Cybertruck is more of an expensive stocking filler than a prototype vehicle. These random products may seem like a distraction from Tesla's production issues for its real cars, but they sell like hot cakes, bringing in cash for the company and gaining publicity too. The toy Cybertruck was retailing for $250 and has sold out already.
Is Tesla coming out with a flying car?
Despite much speculation, Tesla is not known to be working on a flying car. Musk himself has expressed skepticism about the economic viability if not the technical feasibility of the concept. That said, he's also enjoyed stirring rumours about a possible flying Tesla Roadster somewhere down the line.
In February, he prompted more speculation about a flying Tesla by saying that the next Tesla Roadster would be a collaboration with SpaceX. In an interview, with Don Lemon in March, he said a flying car “is not out of the question".
That's far from being the hard confirmation that some would like to think. And given how long Tesla normally takes to produce anything, the chances that we'll see production of flying Tesla Roadster in 2025 seem fairly remote. Some have suggested Tesla may explore some kind of hover technology to allow cars to travel short distances above the surface of the road to deal with difficult terrain, but this remains pure speculation.
For more car branding news, don't miss the controversy around the Jaguar Type 00 – a car Musk probably wishes he had thought of.
