Flying cars might be closer than you think: this one has entered production

Flying cars have been a sci-fi dream for a long time. My personal favourite is when Doc’s DeLorean starts flying at the end of Back to the Future. But these flying cars might be a little closer to reality than you think. While not one of the top cars on the market, the folks at KleinVision have developed the AirCar. Yes, it does sound like something Apple would make, but it isn’t. It’s a real flying car that’s entering the manufacturing process.

• Read more: The 5 craziest concepts from the Tokyo Motor Show

Before you start clearing out your garage to make space for a flying car, let’s clear things up. KleinVision has sold a “geographically limited license” for its high-flying tech to Hebei Jianxin Flying Car Technology Co. This Chinese powerhouse is now set to churn out flying cars in production. The specifics of this are all kept under lock and key, but the gist is that China’s skies are going to get a bit more crowded, in a good way. That’s not the only thing kept hush hush, we don’t actually know any details about the car yet.

Stefan Klein and Anton Zajac, the masterminds behind KleinVision, seem chuffed to bits about this partnership. They’re talking up a storm about expanding global access to these revolutionary mobility solutions. And honestly, who can blame them? If I had just taken a giant leap towards making cars fly, I’d be shouting it from the rooftops too – or, in this case, from a moderate altitude.

And this isn’t just some concept that will never see the light of day – real people have been inside the flying car. Billionaire YouTuber, MrBeast, and the lads from The Grand Tour – Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May – have all given their nods of approval.

So, keep your eyes peeled, because flying cars might be hitting the skies sooner than you thought. As for when you can expect to see these flying marvels dodging pigeons and making your commute infinitely cooler, stay tuned. And for those of you wondering about the price tag, I’d start saving now. Something tells me this won’t be your average second-hand car deal.

• Related: I toured the Sony Honda AFEELA concept car, and it’s the least “car-y” vehicle I’ve seen