LEO Flight, formerly known as Urban eVTOL, has presented a manned alpha prototype for its LEO Coupe, a flying hypercar the company says will eventually be capable of carrying three people at speeds up to 250 mph (400 km/h), complete with "dynamic" handling.

Naturally, the LX-1 experimental prototype doesn't display the rather dashing looks shown in earlier renders of the final LEO Coupe. It's a flying aluminum frame chiefly designed to test the propulsion system, which at this stage incorporates large banks of small electric jets.

Indeed, while LEO co-founder Pete Bitar tells us the eventual aircraft will rise vertically on just 16 large-diameter electric fans, this alpha prototype packs in no less than 72 vertical-lift fans, each about the size of a coffee thermos, in four banks. Two larger diameter fans at the rear give it some horizontal thrust.

LEO Flight

A small box in the middle gives the LX-1 a very basic cockpit, complete with what looks like a plastic chair and a pair of joysticks for control. Where the final aircraft will possibly run an interesting set of "cat's paws" as an inflatable, variable-geometry landing gear, the prototype runs four hinged legs with some thin pneumatic-looking struts that look like they'd be more comfortable stopping a flyscreen door from shutting too fast than bearing the brunt of a wonky landing.

LEO calls it a manned prototype, suggesting Bitar plans to hop in and fly it. This tracks with the timeline he laid out last year, which called for a flying frame to be airborne sometime in 2022. The company has already flown a small "ArcSpear" drone running the same electric jets, and tested the larger jets on a paragliding rig.

LEO plans to sell the Coupe as a personal eVTOL aircraft, promising a rather optimistic range around 300 miles (480 km) out of just 66 kWh of battery. Fair play to 'em if they manage that, it'd be further than the EPA range of the Chevy Bolt with the same size battery. The company will potentially sell this machine as a kit, dodging as much certification red tape as possible to begin with, and Bitar tells us he's targeting a price under US$290,000.

LEO Flight

We look forward to seeing it in the air! Check out a render video below.

Source: LEO Flight