Tesla's hopping car demo isn't new: Harrier hover tech dates to 1957, McMurtry did fan downforce first
david_stillwell · x · 2026-10-18
Responding to claims that Tesla's hopping concept car demonstrates global technical superiority, the author breaks down the tech: thrust-based vertical maneuvering was developed in Britain in 1957, with the P.1127 (precursor to the Harrier Jump Jet) first hovering in 1960. The upside-down driving relies on fan-generated downforce, already proven by McMurtry's electric Spéirling, which has been setting track records for years. Both are real-world products, unlike Tesla's demo prototype.
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