DeLorean Joins Airspeeder Flying Car Racing Series

DeLorean has officially entered the Airspeeder international racing series as a dedicated vehicle manufacturer, transitioning the storied American automotive brand into the emerging sector of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) motorsport. Originally celebrated for its stainless-steel DMC-12 sports car and its fictional depiction as a flying time machine in the Back to the Future film franchise, the manufacturer now competes in real-world aerial circuits using electric flying craft. While no official retail distributor or consumer purchasing pathway currently exists in Malaysia for these specialized racing machines, the initiative showcases high-performance eVTOL capabilities that inform future urban air mobility frameworks across Southeast Asia.

Key Facts

The Airspeeder racing series represents the world's premier competitive circuit for piloted electric vertical take-off and landing craft, providing a testing ground for next-generation aerial mobility technologies. DeLorean enters the championship as an official manufacturer, initially campaigning standardized hardware before introducing custom proprietary engineering solutions in future competitive seasons.

DeLorean has entered the Airspeeder international electric flying car championship as an official manufacturer utilizing the standardized Mk3C eVTOL racing chassis.

What Vehicle Is DeLorean Using in the Airspeeder Racing Series?

DeLorean is contesting its inaugural Airspeeder racing campaign using the standardized Airspeeder Mk3C craft, aligning its technical baseline with all competing teams in the championship. This electric vertical take-off and landing craft provides identical aerodynamic and structural foundations across the grid, ensuring competitive parity while the manufacturer establishes its operational aerospace capabilities.

The transition from cinematic fiction to tangible aerospace engineering forms a central narrative for the brand. DeLorean achieved global cultural recognition through its DMC-12 model, featuring iconic gullwing doors and stainless-steel exterior panelling, which was portrayed as a flying vehicle in cinema. According to Airspeeder founder and chief executive officer Matt Pearson, this historical association provides an intuitive bridge to modern spectator interest in electric flying car racing.

"People already recognized the image of a flying DeLorean through film, long before the concept could actually be realized."

Matt Pearson, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Airspeeder

Pearson stated that securing an iconic American marque for the inaugural international season underscores the technological momentum and broader trajectory of eVTOL motorsport globally.

DeLorean competes in the first international Airspeeder season using the standardized Mk3C electric vertical take-off and landing chassis alongside other international racing teams.

How Will DeLorean Develop Its Next-Generation eVTOL Racing Craft?

DeLorean plans to transition from standardized racing hardware to proprietary vehicle manufacturing for the 2027–2028 international racing seasons through strategic university engineering partnerships. The company is collaborating with specialized student teams from the University of California, Berkeley and the Georgia Institute of Technology to design, model, and assemble a bespoke competitive eVTOL airframe.

This initiative expands DeLorean's involvement well beyond branded team sponsorship or spec-series operation. By partnering with leading collegiate aeronautical and mechanical departments, the company aims to innovate customized aerodynamic profiles, powertrain integration, and autonomous stability control systems tailored specifically to low-altitude aerial circuit racing.

While technical specifications regarding power output and battery composition remain unannounced by the manufacturer, developing an exclusive airframe allows DeLorean to bypass the constraints of the standard Mk3C chassis. The resulting prototype will establish the brand's proprietary design language within advanced aerial robotics and zero-emission flight technology.

For the 2027–2028 seasons, DeLorean will collaborate with engineering teams from UC Berkeley and Georgia Tech to build a bespoke proprietary eVTOL racing vehicle.

How It Compares for Malaysian Users

The Airspeeder racing series provides Malaysian technology and automotive observers with a preview of electric vertical take-off and landing capabilities ahead of potential regional commercial trials. Although these vehicles are non-consumer prototypes not currently certified by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia, they reflect operational parameters relevant to tropical urban transport.

In Malaysia, urban air mobility concepts face distinct environmental and infrastructure demands compared to Western test circuits. eVTOL systems operating in Southeast Asia must ultimately endure high ambient temperatures, frequent tropical downpours, and intense humidity levels that degrade battery efficiency. Furthermore, any future commercial spin-offs would require alignment with local 240V single-phase and 415V three-phase electrical standards for terminal charging infrastructure.

For Malaysian motorsports fans and technology professionals residing in dense metropolitan centres such as Kuala Lumpur, DeLorean's participation serves primarily as a digital broadcast spectator sport and an applied benchmark for battery cooling, rapid power draw, and vertical lift efficiency under demanding competitive conditions.

DeLorean's eVTOL racing programme serves Malaysian audiences as an international motorsport demonstration of high-performance electric flight rather than an operational commercial transit system.

Common Questions

Key queries regarding DeLorean's entry into electric vertical take-off and landing motorsport focus on vehicle specifications, retail availability, and future engineering roadmaps. The following assessments outline the primary factual details established by official race organizers and company announcements.

Can consumers in Malaysia purchase the DeLorean Airspeeder racing craft?

No, the DeLorean Airspeeder Mk3C is an exclusive racing prototype designed solely for competitive motorsport circuits. It is not manufactured for commercial retail, lacks civilian road or airspace registration in Malaysia, and is unavailable through automotive distributors.

Which vehicle model does DeLorean deploy during its first Airspeeder season?

DeLorean utilizes the standardized Airspeeder Mk3C electric vertical take-off and landing chassis for its initial season. This shared technical platform ensures mechanical parity with all other participating racing teams before custom airframes are introduced.

When will DeLorean race its own custom-built eVTOL vehicle?

DeLorean plans to introduce its custom-designed eVTOL racing vehicle during the 2027–2028 competitive seasons. The bespoke craft is currently being engineered in partnership with student engineering teams from UC Berkeley and Georgia Tech.

Consumers in Malaysia cannot purchase the DeLorean Airspeeder Mk3C craft, as it is strictly a closed-circuit motorsport racing machine without civilian airspace homologation.

Sources and Methodology

This report synthesizes official corporate statements and published industry reporting regarding DeLorean's entry into international electric vertical take-off and landing racing. Source facts were verified against documentation from automotive racing coverage and statements issued by Airspeeder executive management.

The primary source material is derived from reporting by Qalif Latif published on 15 October 2026 by Malaysian automotive publication Careta (https://careta.my/article/delorean-sertai-perlumbaan-kereta-terbang-airspeeder). All institutional names, including Airspeeder, DeLorean Motor Company, University of California, Berkeley, and Georgia Institute of Technology, have been retained in their original corporate and academic forms. Pricing and local consumer purchasing data were identified as non-applicable because the vehicles are restricted to competitive sporting circuits. This article was last updated on 15 October 2026. Information specific to Malaysia was verified against local regulatory context and international aviation standards.

This analysis was compiled from primary source reporting by Careta and official executive disclosures released on 15 October 2026.