Japan’s Suzuki to make ‘flying cars’ with SkyDrive
2023.06.19 23:29
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: The logo of Suzuki Motor Corp. is pictured at the 45th Tokyo Motor Show in Tokyo, Japan October 25, 2017. Picture taken October 25, 2017. REUTERS/Toru Hanai/File Photo
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese automaker Suzuki Motor Corp said on Tuesday it had reached an agreement with SkyDrive Inc to make “flying cars”.
The companies will use a Suzuki Group factory in central Japan to make electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and aim to begin production by around spring next year, Suzuki said in a statement.
SkyDrive will establish a wholly owned subsidiary to make the aircraft and Suzuki will help with preparations for the manufacturing, including securing talent, the automaker said.
Headquartered in the city of Toyota in central Japan, SkyDrive has trading house Itochu Corp, tech firm NEC Corp and a unit of energy company Eneos Holdings Inc among its main shareholders.
The two companies signed a deal in March last year to team up in research, development and marketing of flying cars.