Credit: Reuters
TOKYO, June 20 (Reuters) – Japanese automaker Suzuki Motor Corp (7269.T) said 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.
Established in 2018, SkyDrive started the first testing of flying cars in 2020. The SD-03 was the first single-seater flying car that marked its public debut in 2020. Later in 2022, the company released sketches of the SD-05 and is working to introduce its productinon-spec model at the 2025 World Expo in Osaka, Japan.
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 (8001.T), tech firm NEC Corp (6701.T) and a unit of energy company Eneos Holdings Inc (5020.T) 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.
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