In an interview with Sputnik, Alexander Begak, director general and aircraft designer at the Russian scientific development and production center Aviation and Space Technologies, touted the creation by his company of Begalet, a sophisticated vehicle which combines the characteristics of an electric car with those of a light plane.
Begak described the Begalet as "an electric vehicle that can fly with the soft wing of a paraglider or like a powered parachute.
According to him, the Begalet, which is manufactured in the southern Russian city of Pyatigorsk, has four wheels and is therefore capable of riding smoothly on the road.
"The Begalet features a streamlined ergonomic capsule (fuselage) with a complete flight package; its devices include the GPS and GLONASS navigation systems plus additional equipment. This is why specialists called the Begalet a light plane with a soft wing," Begak said.
"Add to this the vehicle's increased passive safety and we can safely say that the Begalet is in a separate class of hybrid transport," he pointed out.
Begak specifically drew attention to the fact that thus far, the Begalets have been exclusively handmade according to the individual order of a particular customer.
"These vehicles' undoubted advantage is their high level of safety and the fact that they can be used comfortably in an urban environment," Begak said, adding that an average speed of the Begalet on the road and in the air stands at 100 kilometers per hour and 70 kilometers per hour, respectively.
He also said that in order to fly Begalet on the road and abroad, a person can easily undergo training and obtain a certificate as an amateur ultralight aviation pilot.
"Right now, we are working to legally regulate the registration of our vehicles," Begak said, referring to the Begalet.
"The vehicle is already available for sale; just call us, place an order, agree on the design and you will receive the Begalet six months later," Begak added.
He said that the price tag depends on the customer's imagination and can range from 500,000 rubles (about 8,000 dollars) to several million rubles.
"Also we can develop a unique exclusive Begalet which will be completely in line with a customers' idea and within the framework of possible technology)," Begak concluded, citing his company's everything-you-can-imagine-is-real slogan.
