Model A from Alef Aeronautics is the first-ever fully electric flying car to be approved by the US government.
Your vision from sci-fi films is coming to reality as flying cars are all set to leap out of your imagination and onto the horizon. Yes, you read that right! A fully functional electric car that you can drive on the roads as well as fly in the sky has just become the first flying car to receive legal approval to fly from the US government.
The flying car, developed by the US-based Alef Aeronautics, has received approval from the US government. The company announced that its car, known as Model A, has received the Special Airworthiness Certification from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This development is historic as it marks the first time a vehicle of this kind has been certified in the US.
“The FAA is actively working on its policies for electrical vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles, as well as governing interactions between eVTOLs and ground infrastructure,” the company stated in its official statement.
The first-ever flying car is arriving
Alef Aeronautics built its first prototype in 2016 to meet specific requirements such as the ability to drive like a car, vertical takeoff capabilities, and affordability. The company claims that Model A has a driving range of 200 miles and a flight range of up to 110 miles. Additionally, the company reported that the model, priced at $ 300,000, began presales in October 2022 and has already received over 440 reservations by the end of that year.
Model A in transition flight. (Image: Alef Aeronautics)
Alef Aeronautics has been test-driving and test-flying their prototypes since 2019. It is reported that production of the Model A is likely to commence in Q4 of 2025. The company is also planning to develop additional models, such as a four-person sedan named Model Z, which will debut in 2035 at a starting price of $35,000. Model Z is expected to have a flying range of over 300 miles and a driving range of more than 200 miles.
Model A – a view from the top. (Image: Alef Aeronautics)
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Earlier this year, the company’s CEO, Jim Dukhovny, stated that Alef aims to deliver the first real flying car in history and that receiving so many pre-orders is an “incredible validation” of the market potential the company is aiming to capture.
About Alef Aeronautics
The company was founded in 2015 by four technical geniuses Dr. Constantine Kisly, Pavel Markin, Oleg Petrov, Jim Dukhovny. The company’s official website says that the first sketch of a real flying car was drawn on a napkin in a cafe. The founders initially estimated that it would take about six months to build the car.
Source:indianexpress.com