Yes, flying cars are real. They are not just in the movies anymore. The first all-electric flying car is about to take flight after signing agreements with several airports.
The world’s first electric flying car is testing at airports
Just a few years ago, not many thought this day would come. Alef Aeronautics has been developing its electric flying car since 2015, attracting major investors like Tim Draper, known for his early investment in Tesla.
In 2022, Alef became an internet sensation after unveiling a new prototype, dubbed the Model A. The company claims the vehicle (or aircraft) can drive 220 miles and has a 110-mile flight range.
Less than a year later, the California-based startup became the first to receive a Special Airworthiness Certification from the US Federal Aviation Administration.
Alef took it a step further, becoming the first company to receive pre-orders for an aircraft sold through a car dealership.
We got our first look at the all-electric flying car in action earlier this year after Alef released a video of an “ultralight version” of the Model A jumping over another vehicle. The company claimed it was the “first-ever video in history of a car driving and vertically taking off” (you can watch it below).
In yet another first, Alef announced it has now secured agreements to begin operations at two new Silicon Valley airports: Half Moon Bay and Hollister Airport.
The flying cars will operate, both as a car and as an aircraft, alongside other types of aircraft, to assess their performance in common air traffic patterns.
Both airports could serve as a base for a future fleet of flying cars, according to Alef. It will start with the Model Zero Ultralight, but Alef plans to expand with other Model Zero models and the commercial Model A.
Top comment by K
This is not what anyone thought flying cars would be when they were dreaming of them decades and decades ago. This is an unwieldy, overly expensive, hovering compromise on bicycle wheels. It’s not a real car and it’s not a true flying one.
Alef says its flying car is “100% electric, drivable on public roads, and has vertical takeoff and landing capabilities.”
The company has already signed supply agreements for industry-grade parts with PUCARA Aero and MYC, which supply major industry giants such as Boeing and Airbus.
The startup has secured over 3,300 pre-orders for its all-electric flying car. It’s expected to start at around $300,000. You can pre-order one on Alef’s website with a $150 deposit. To be in the priority queue, the cost is $1,500.
Alef is already building pre-production models in California, but customer deliveries are expected to begin next year.
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