Will the car of the future look anything like the car of today? According to Volkswagen, it could look like a floating doughnut. The VW Hover Car is one of three concepts to come out of the People’s Car Project the German company company launched in China last year. It was recently presented to the public at the 2012 Beijing Motor Show.
The Hover Car floats about a foot off the ground and seats two. Right now, the hovering bubble car is powered by CGI, but, theoretically, thrusters on the back would provide forward motion. Because of the lack of friction, the Hover Car could be very energy-efficient. It could also turn on a dime, because it is dime-shaped.
In reality, the Hover Car would need electromagnetic strips embedded in the road to function. Electromagnetism would repel the vehicle from the ground, presumably the same way a mag-lev train operates. The Hover Car can also drive itself, since it will already be following a pre-determined path. VW did not explain how the Hover Car will do anything besides hover. Forward propulsion will probably come from an electric motor, since it would be hard to find a small enough jet engine.