--- title: "Startup Unveils World’s First Flying Racecar" description: "Alauda Racing, an Australian eVTOL startup, has revealed the Airspeeder Mk3, what it's calling the \"world's first electric flying racing car ready to race.\"" date: "2021-02-05" modified: "2021-02-05" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/startup-unveils-first-flying-racecar" categories: - "Advanced Transport" tags: - "drone racing" - "flying car racing" - "flying cars" - "the digest" --- # Startup Unveils World’s First Flying Racecar ![Alauda Racing, an Australian eVTOL startup, has revealed the Airspeeder Mk3, what it's calling the "world's first electric flying racing car ready to race."]() *\Image: Alauda Racing\* ## Flying Racecar Alauda Racing, an Australian eVTOL startup, [has revealed]() the Airspeeder Mk3, which it's calling the "world's first electric flying racing car ready to race." The sleek single-seater quadcopter is designed to be raced against ten others of its kin in a tournament later this year — albeit without human pilots on board, which is unsurprising given the inherent safety risks. At the same time, though, the company is working on the Mk4, its first human piloted racing car, which is slated to make its debut some time next year. "The world’s first electric flying car races will take place this year and will be the most exciting and progressive motorsport on the planet," Alauda founder Matt Pearson boasted in [a statement](). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_l5MyOpKD38 ## Speed Demon The Mk3 is built from the ground up with speed in mind, featuring an aerodynamic, wedge-shaped chassis and a powerful 96 kilowatt powertrain. It's a real speed demon: it can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in a blistering 2.3 seconds. Its carbon fiber fuselage cuts down overall weight to just 220 pounds. Battery technology limits mean the racecar will have to return to the ground for "slide and lock" battery swap pit stops, similar to F1 racecars. Different battery packs could allow teams to differentiate themselves and gain an advantage. "For example, for courses requiring more maneuverability but less straight line speed, a lighter battery pack can be easily selected to deliver more maneuverability at the cost of raw power or endurance," the [company's statement]() reads. ![]() **READ MORE:** [Alauda unveils full-sized Airspeeder Mk3 electric flying race car]() \[*New Atlas*\] **More on flying cars:** *[Japan Plans to Commercialize Flying Cars by 2023]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()