Terrafugia TF-2
Quick Summary
The Terrafugia TF-2 is a cargo-carrying eVTOL that is modular, allowing for a cargo pod to be picked up from a fulfillment center and then dropped off on either a truck or the packages' final destination.
Terrafugia, a Woburn, MA, USA company
Stage of Development
Preliminary Design
Prototype Build
Flight Testing
Certification
Commercially Operating
Technical Details
From the Terrafugia R&D Website:
With the recent acquisition of Terrafugia by the parent company of Volvo and Lotus, a world class team of engineers, and the creation of our new R&D facility just outside San Francisco, Terrafugia is positioning itself to be a major player in the world of automated VTOL vehicles.
Our next generation concept (TF-2) is a three-part integrated transportation system for Part 135 short haul operators who want to achieve a new level of convenience, comfort, and efficiency. With a detachable pod configuration your passengers or cargo will be able to travel seamlessly from point A to point B.
TF-2 is currently in the conceptual design stage and we are interested in collecting feedback from potential customers.
There are two concepts under consideration: a tilt-rotor (TR) and a lift-plus-push (LPP) configuration. The TR has performance advantages and the LPP has the advantage of mechanical simplicity.
Let us know which configuration you prefer and why here.
|
Configuration |
Lift + Push |
Tiltrotor |
|
Passengers |
4 |
4 |
|
MTOW |
8500-9000 lb 3860-4080 kg |
7500-8000 lb 3400-3630 kg |
|
Payload with 30 min fuel res |
900-1100 lb 410-500 kg |
900-1100 lb 410-500 kg |
|
Max cruise speed |
120-130 kts 222-240 km/h |
170-180 kts 315-333 km/h |
|
Range at max payload |
170-215 nm 315-400 km |
240-300 nm 445-555 km |
|
Cost per flight hour |
$370-$410 |
$380-$420 |
Our Take on the TF-2
The Terrafugia TF-2 concepts are well-thought out in that they address a large commercial application of eVTOL's that has not been given much consideration during the passenger oriented sprints that most companies are pursuing. The modular design of the TF-2 concepts allows them to be compatible with universal cargo pods - which means that they can transport a large amount of goods for roughly $400/hour, according to Terrafugia's predictions. While the concepts still have a long way to go in terms of development, they should be monitored closely, especially if Terrafugia can market themselves towards large logistics companies like UPS, FedEx, and even Amazon.
References
The Latest News from TransportUP
Workhorse To Launch Pilot Program Under A New Partnership with USOG
October 15, 2019Boeing and Porsche to Collaborate on Luxury Personal Air Vehicle
October 13, 2019CoMotion Mobility Conference Coming to Los Angeles Nov 14th-15th
October 13, 2019Lilium Looking To Raise Up To $500 Million
October 13, 2019Back to The Hangar