Express News Service
AHMEDABAD: Even as various states are vying for Tesla’s electric vehicle manufacturing unit, the Gujarat government’s ambitious project of bringing flying car production to the state is yet to take off.
The state government had signed an agreement with Dutch company PAL-V (Personal Air Land Vehicle) in March 2020 to set up a manufacturing plant and the production was scheduled to commence in mid-2021. But work for the plant has not even started.
The company had planned to initially export all its cars to the US and the European nations and enter the domestic market later. During the signing of the deal, the company had claimed it had received orders for export of 110 cars.
The project has apparently hit a roadblock since there needs to be a separate infrastructure for flying cars, which will take a long time. However, an official of the industries department said there was no hitch at the state’s end and that the car had not yet been certified for mass production.
“Testing is being carried out in European countries about its working,” he said.
“The PAL-V flying car with two engines can run at a speed of 160 kmph on-road and fly at a speed of 180 kmph. The car can turn into a flying vehicle in just three minutes and cover a 500 km distance on a full tank,” according to a statement released by the company during the signing of MoU.
While opposition Congress had criticised the proposal saying the BJP government was dreaming of flying car when people were struggling for even basic facilities, the ruling dispensation is also facing flak for most investment proposals remaining on paper.
“The government speaks about investment promises worth crores of rupees made during the Vibrant Gujarat summits, but hardly any project has materialised. The BJP wants to showcase Gujarat as an automobile hub but the reality is that all the MNCs have left,” said economist Hemant Shah.
