Electric Flying Car Approved By The FAA
The first 100% electric flying car approved by the FAA
The first flying car is officially cleared to take off under experimental status.
In a press release, Alef announced that it was the first company in the world to receive the Special Airworthiness Certification. The certification restricts the places and purposes for which the vehicle can fly.
The company’s CEO Jim Dukhovny said the company “hopes” that the certification “will [be] our next step.”
Dukhovny said to USA TODAY on Friday that “the historical significance of this can’t be overstated.” While there have been pioneers such as Terrafugia and Henry Ford, it is the first vehicle that has permission to fly in the traditional sense of the word (parks, drives, functions and looks like a automobile). Alef was the first electric vehicle to be granted permission to fly. Last but not least is the ability to vertically take off, which is at the heart of most people’s concept of a “flying vehicle.
Preorders are now available
Santa Clara-based car company announced on its website that the flying car was now available for order. The vehicle, which can carry one or two passengers, will cost around $300,000.
In a press release, the company stated that “Model A” was 100% electric and could be driven on public roads. It also had vertical takeoffs and landings.
According to Alef, the car will be classified as a Low Speed Vehicle. This means that it can’t travel faster than 25 miles per hours on paved surfaces. According to Alef, if a driver wants to take a quicker route, he or she can use the vehicle’s flying capabilities.
Four years of test flight
Since 2019, the company’s prototype has been tested and flown. It was founded in Palo Alto in 2015 by Dukhovny along with Konstantin Kisly. Pavel Markin and Oleg Petrov.
We’re thrilled to have received this certification from FAA. This certification allows us to get closer to providing people with an environmentally-friendly and faster commute. It will save individuals and businesses hours each week. “This is one small step forward for planes and one giant step ahead for cars.”
According to the company, the idea of getting the vehicle on the roads and in the air came about the same year Marty McFly from the movie “Back To The Future” traveled to “the future” of October 2015.
In a testimonial on the website of Alef, Jim Dukhovny wrote that he had discussed flying cars in one of his Science Fiction lectures.
The company stated that he and his co-founders met soon and drew the first flying car on a napkin at a café.
In 2018, the first “skeleton” of full size took to the sky.
Delivery is scheduled to begin in late 2025
The company, which is backed by an investor from Tesla, announced that buyers will be able complete their configurations as production approaches.
The company plans to begin delivering vehicles to its customers by the end of 2025.
