The FAA approved Alef’s electric flying car for flight testing
Alef Aeronautics won regulatory approval to begin testing its all-electric flying car. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed it it has issued a special certificate of airworthiness for Alef’s “Model A” vehicle, according to a CNN report, meaning it is now legally cleared to fly.
Pre-orders have already opened for the $300,000 car that can take off and land vertically, and drive on the road as a low-speed vehicle. The California-based startup aims to start deliveries to customers by the end of 2025according to CNBC.
“We are pleased to receive this certification from the FAA. It allows us to get closer to providing people with an environmentally friendly and faster commute,” Alef CEO Jim Dukhovny said in a press release. “This is one small step for airplanes, one giant step for cars.”
Alef began developing its flying cars in 2015. It began test driving and flying its prototype in 2019, and came out of stealth mode in 2022. Venture Capitalist Tim Draperwhich has previously invested in Tesla and SpaceX, is one of the company’s supporters.
Watch: Alef unveils its ‘Model A’ flying car
Alef has a second flying car model in the works
The “Model A” has a driving range of 200 miles (321 km) and a flight range of 110 miles. As a low-speed vehicle, it weighs less than 3,000 pounds by regulation and cannot go faster than 25 mph (40 km/h). The vehicle has room for two people.
Alef has another electric flying vehicle in the works, which is slated for release in 2035. The “Model Z,” a four-seat sedan, will be priced at $35,000 and is slated to have a 300+ mile range and 200+ mile driving range .
It is unclear what is the maximum height Alef’s cars can reach. The competitors aim to go as high like 10,000 feet (the high-altitude helicopters usually fly on), in Terrafugia’s case, or 8000 feetlike Klein Vision’s AirCar.
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