The flying car is no longer a Sci-Fi fantasy. It’s becoming a reality, and it could be here by the end of the year. Alef Aeronautics is now building pre-production models of what it’s calling “the first true flying car,” and it’s 100% electric. The company even claims that its flying car uses less energy than a Tesla or any other EV.
Alef prepares first “true” electric flying car for launch
San Mateo-based Alef Aeronautics has been developing flying cars for about a decade, but now it’s ready to bring them to life.
The company unveiled its first prototype, the “Model A,” in October 2022, claiming that the electric flying car can travel up to 220 miles with a 110-mile flight range.
After kicking off pre-orders the same month, the Model A secured 440 reservations by the end of the year. According to the company’s latest update, the flying car has now secured over 3,400 pre-orders, valued at around $1 billion in total.
The orders include businesses and individuals, including a car dealership in California. Alef became the first company to sell a modern aircraft through a car dealership with pre-orders.
You can reserve a spot in the “regular” queue for $150, or $1,500 for the “priority” waiting list. Alef has begun pre-production at its facility in Silicon Valley and expects to start producing customer models soon.
“If everything goes according to plan, and no major external changes, Alef plans to start production of the first vehicle by the end of 2025 or Q1 of 2026,” the company said (via KTVU), with deliveries set to follow.
Alef says the Model A is the first road-legal passenger car that can also take off and land. The company even claims that “On average, the Alef flying car uses less energy per trip than a Tesla or any other EV.”
Since the Model A is classified as “ultralight,” it doesn’t require a certification to fly on roads legally, Alef told KTVU. It does have other restrictions, however, including the ability to fly only during the day and limited flying zones. Ultralight vehicles can not fly over densely populated areas.
We got a sneak peek of the electric flying car in action for the first time earlier this year. Alef released a video of the flying car hopping over another vehicle on a public street in California.
It looked fake, but Alef promises it was the “first-ever video in history of a car driving and vertically taking off.” Other flying cars have appeared in videos with tethered flights and other gimmicks to make it seem like they’re actually in flight.
The Model A starts at $300,000, but Alef says costs “should drop down drastically,” adding “eventually below levels of Toyota Corolla or Ford Focus.”
Production and manufacturing costs are initially high due to the “hand-made in-house level,” the company explained.
The startup secured a mass manufacturing agreement with PUCARA Aero and MYC for aviation-grade parts last year, which supplies industry leaders such as Boeing and Airbus.
Alef’s flying cars underwent a “major technical update” this week, with more details to follow soon. Following the Model A, Alef is already working on its second flying car, the Model Z, which is expected to be priced closer to $35,000. However, it could be a while before we see it with an expected 2035 launch.
Source: KTVU, Alef Aeronautics
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