The US government approved the testing of a vehicle certified by the Federal Aviation Administration, which a California startup refers to as a flying car. This groundbreaking vehicle is the first fully electric transportation device that has received official approval to both fly and travel on roads.
Alef Automotive announced that their vehicle/aircraft, known as the “Model A,” is a groundbreaking transportation device. It is the first flying vehicle that can drive on public roads and park like a regular car. The Model A also has the ability to vertically take off and land. It is designed to accommodate one or two occupants and has an impressive road range of 200 miles and a flying range of 110 miles.
The company plans to market the vehicle for $300,000 per unit, with the first delivery anticipated to take place by the end of 2025.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted the company a special airworthiness certificate, permitting activities such as exhibition, research, and development.
There are several companies currently involved in the development of all-electric VTOLs (Vehicle Takeoff and Landing aircraft). According to the FAA, Alef is not the first to receive a special airworthiness certificate for this type of aircraft. However, Alef highlighted the unique features of their vehicle that set it apart, including its dual functionality on roads and in the air, its resemblance to a regular car, and its ability to park in standard parking spaces.
Jim Dukhovny, the CEO of Alef, expressed his excitement at receiving the FAA certification. He conveyed that this certification brings them closer to their goal of providing people with a faster and environmentally friendly mode of commuting. Dukhovny emphasized the potential time-saving benefits for individuals and companies, and described this achievement as a small step for planes but a significant leap for cars.
According to the company’s website, the flying car is categorized as a “low speed vehicle,” and therefore will have a maximum speed of about 25 miles per hour on paved roads. The website further notes that the expectation is for drivers to use the aircraft’s flight capabilities if they require faster transportation.
Despite this, the vehicle still requires approval from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration before it can be driven on roads.
The development of this vehicle has been in progress since 2015. Four individuals, namely Constantine Kisly, Pavel Markin, Oleg Petrov, and Dukhovny, who were inspired by the futuristic concept of flying cars depicted in the “Back to the Future” movies, came together to establish a company with the objective of bringing these vehicles into reality.
Alef reported that a rudimentary version of the flying car underwent an automated test flight in 2018, which was conducted successfully. Further, a prototype of the full-sized vehicle was flown in the following year. However, Alef emphasized that the acquisition of the FAA’s special airworthiness certification was imperative for the company to continue its research and development efforts.
Furthermore, the company disclosed earlier this year that it had garnered over 400 pre-orders for the flying cars, all of which were refundable. The vehicles were available for purchase at a cost of $150 to secure a place in the general queue or $1,500 for the priority queue.
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