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Alef Aeronautics receives testing approval for world’s first flying car

Credit: Alef Aeronautics
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Startup Alef Aeronautics has been given FAA Special Airworthiness Approval, which means it will be allowed to undergo experimental testing of its new flying car.

Could we soon be buying flying cars?

Well, we’re one step closer at least. The startup company Alef Aeronautics, backed by Space-X, is the first in the world to be allowed to test an electric flying car. It says the car will cost about $300,000 USD at retail.

Explained in a press release, the California-based startup said it had received an official Special Airworthiness Certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FFA). This means that Alef Aeronautics will be allowed to undergo experimental testing, and is the first of its kind for a flight-capable car.

‘It allows us to move closer to bringing people an environmentally friendly and faster commute,’ said CEO Jim Dukhovny. ‘This is one small step for planes, one giant step for cars.’

Before we all get too excited, it’s worth noting that the area of testing is extremely limited for now. Both location and purpose for which the car is allowed to fly is severely restricted.

However, Alef Aeronautics has said it wants to produce a vehicle that can be driven along roads and conventional streets as well as boast ‘vertical take-off capabilities.’

The car is currently called Model A, and is expected to carry a maximum of two people. It will have a road range of 200 miles and a flying range of 110 miles. According to Hypebeast, 440 people have already put a deposit down to own one. The public can pay a $150 USD to gain access to a general queue, or $1500 USD to receive priority access when deliveries begin.

Jim Dukhovny has also given us an expected release date, promising this flying car will be ready ‘by 2025’. If successful, that is a majorly quick turn around from product approval to market availability. We’ll have to wait to see whether that goal is realised.

Interestingly, the Model A has been met with significant scepticism online. Commentators point out that we’ve no genuine footage of the vehicle flying in real-time, instead only being shown computer-generated renderings provided by Alef Aeronautics.

The concept of a flying vehicle seems somewhat far-fetched too, even in 2023.

Receiving an approval certification for testing is impressive, but until we see genuine footage or progress updates, it’s worth remaining sceptical. It might be best to wait just a little longer before chucking a hefty deposit down.

Editor In Chief London, UK

I’m Charlie (He/Him), the Editor In Chief at Thred. I studied English at the University of Birmingham and as a music and gaming enthusiast, I’m a nerd for pop culture. You can find me curating playlists, designing article headline images, and sipping cider on a Thursday. Follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn and drop me some ideas/feedback via email.

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