Forget Flying Cars, This Flying Bus is the Real Fifth Element
Let's be honest, flying cars are a bit rubbish. They're so last decade. Small, cramped, and about as practical as a chocolate teapot. No, America, the land of supersized everything, has decided if we're going airborne, we might as well all go together. Enter Kelekona, a New York startup with a plan so outlandish, it might just be brilliant – the 40-passenger flying bus.
This isn't your average school bus with wings. Imagine a bloated, teardrop-shaped whale, propelled by four massive fans, and you're halfway there. Kelekona promises this airborne behemoth will soar from LA to San Francisco (nearly 350 miles) in about an hour, leaving those sleek Teslas choking on its electric dust. Plus, it claims a cargo capacity of 10,000 lbs (4,540 kg) – haul your groceries and your Great Aunt Mildred, no problem.
The genius, or utter madness, depending on how you look at it, lies in the swappable battery pack. No more hours wasted on charging – they'll just roll the entire underbelly of the bus out and replace it with a fresh one. It's like changing batteries in a remote control, only with the potential for far more catastrophic failure.
The catch? Well, let's just say physics is probably having a good laugh right now. This thing has the aerodynamic refinement of a brick and relies on four giant fans to get airborne. The thought of what 40 people crammed into that teardrop of a cabin will do for its flight characteristics is enough to make a seasoned pilot weep. Will it even get off the ground? That's a question for the engineers (and their lawyers).
This flying bus is the automotive equivalent of the Concorde – loud, absurd, probably not commercially viable, but magnificent in a uniquely silly way. And, unlike the Concorde, it actually has the potential to redefine how we move around cities.
But let's forget practicality for a moment. This contraption is an aero and automotive theater, a middle finger to boring, sensible transport. Picture yourself late for a meeting, the roads gridlocked, your only salvation this aerial monstrosity. You scramble aboard, buckle into a dubious-looking seat, and blast off into the urban jungle. The view will be spectacular, and the envy of those stuck below? Even better.
Do I want to live in a world where flying buses clog the horizon? I’d rather not. But what other options do we really have? There’s so many of us and our roads are simply not built for all the cars - something has to give. If these things are the answer, at least they don’t leave a cloud of black smoke behind.
You have to hand it to Kelekona for their sheer audacity. They're tackling a problem with a healthy dose of American optimism and a complete disregard for the laws of physics. They might fail spectacularly, but they're reminding us that the future of transport should be a little bit crazy, a little bit terrifying, and a whole lot of fun. After all, wouldn't you pay good money to watch 40 people try and disembark from this thing in a hurry? I know I would.
