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Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveiled a car he described as "flying", equipped with a propulsion system that allows it to rise into the air, during a live-streamed event from a facility belonging to his rocket company, SpaceX.
Until now, technical and regulatory challenges have prevented the launch of the widely hyped flying car sector.
Musk unveiled his new "Roadster" sports car during an event held at a SpaceX rocket testing facility in the US state of Texas.
During a presentation streamed live on Tesla's account on the X platform, the car launched from a steep ramp before landing on its wheels.
Musk said during the event, "Flying cars are a reality." He added that the vehicle's success is "not guaranteed," but predicted that it will "most likely succeed."
Musk explained that the car is equipped with "ultra-high-pressure air tanks" that allow it to be propelled into the air.
The tech billionaire described this innovation as the fruit of "collaboration between the best car company in the world and the best rocket company in the world," referring to Tesla and SpaceX.
He said that production of the car will begin in 2028.
American aviation pioneer Glenn Curtiss had unveiled the first prototype of a flying car in 1917.
However, the development of viable designs only began to receive serious attention in recent years, with advancements in electric motor technology and high-performance batteries.
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