After years of “remote piloting,” Alauda Aeronautics today revealed its Airspeeder MK4—the crewed version. The company said in a statement that the one-person electric racing machine will have a top speed of 225 mph, and potential range of 180 miles. It will be powered by a Thunderstrike Hydrogen Turbogenerator connected to electric motors on the eVTOL wings.
CEO Matt Pearson called for manufacturers and motorsport teams to join the fledgling electric racing circuit. “We show the vehicles that will battle it out in blade-to-blade racing crewed by the most highly skilled pilots in their fields,” he said in a statement.
The company said that the first crewed races will happen in 2024. The initial unmanned races, with remote-control pilots, took place last October, with no crashes.
The aircraft will have a weight of 2,095 pounds, minus the pilot. The company claims it will be able to reach the 225 mph top speed in 30 seconds. Power comes from a 1,000 kW (1,340 hp) turbogenerator, which Alauda says allows for green hydrogen to be used as a potential fuel source.