World’s first flying car: FAA-approved and available for preorder

The world’s first flying car is now a reality, and you can drive it from the freeway to the skies for $299,999. On June 25, 2023, Alef Aeronautics announced its Model A is the first flying vehicle to receive legal approval from the US government. Consequently, it turns the once-fictional future of flying cars into reality.

The Alef flying vehicle is a significant triumph for aeronautics and green energy. The Model A is not only the first flight-ready automobile; it also runs on electricity. It shows the power of science and technology to realize our wildest dreams.

The Model A inspires everyone to learn about flying vehicles and alternative energy. Start now as we discuss more details about Alef Aeronautics’ exciting invention.

How did Alef Aeronautics develop its vehicle?

EV news outlet Electrek says Alef conceptualized its flying car in 2015. It is the same year when Marty McFly from the classic film “Back to the Future” traveled through time.

In 2016, the company built its prototype to fit specific requirements. These include driving like an ordinary car, taking off vertically, and keeping costs down.

The company also showed its electric propulsion system to Tim Draper. He is a popular venture capitalist who was one of Tesla’s pioneering investors.

Draper Associates Fund V allocated $3 million seed money to kickstart the program. In October 2022, Alef Aeronautics unveiled its Model A as the world’s first flying car.

It runs on electricity with real street driving and vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) abilities. The EV firm says the Model A has a flight range of 110 miles and a 200-mile driving range.

USA Today reports Alef is the first company to receive a Special Airworthiness Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration. It limits the Model A’s flight to specific locations and purposes.

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The company needed it before releasing its Model A to the public. Also, the flying car must meet National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration standards before taking flying.

CEO Jim Dukhovny says Alef Aeronautics is “hopeful” this certification “will be our next step.” He told USA Today, “The historical significance of this cannot be overstated.”

“While there have been pioneers like Terrafugia, Paul Moller, and Henry Ford, this is the first time a vehicle, in the traditional sense (parks and drives like a car, functions like a car, looks like a car), has received permission to fly.”

Are there other flying EV projects?

Photo Credit: sea.mashable.com

Alef Aeronautics may have created the world’s first flying car, but it won’t be the last. Other companies have been developing eVTOLs, too.

For example, the Korean automobile firm Hyundai announced last year it would build a network of flying cars in Indonesia’s future capital city, Nusantara.

In August 2019, Indonesian President Joko Widodo said Nusantara would save people from the rapidly-sinking Jakarta. Moreover, he wants to avoid the old capital’s problems.

That is why the Indonesian government signed the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) project with Hyundai. The futuristic city’s head of the Green and Digital Transformations Department, Professor Mohammed Ali Berawi, explained how it works.

The AAM’s flying cars look like drones and will transport goods and people without roads. They will open access to remote areas like hills. Also, FEV Europe GmbH is creating autonomous eVTOLs.

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In other words, the company is developing self-driving flying cars. They would detect and avoid hazards by sending and receiving data from each other.

Lastly, the state of North Carolina is planning a few steps ahead of the EV trend by designing a fourth traffic signal: white! Contributing study author Ali Hajbabaie explained how it works;

“This concept we’re proposing for traffic interactions, which we call a ‘white phase,’ taps into the computing power of autonomous vehicles (AVs) themselves. White lights will tell human drivers to simply follow the car in front of them.”

Conclusion

Alef Aeronautics unveils the world’s first flying car, the Model A. The company’s preorder page says its expected price is $299,999, and you may preorder for $150.

You may also enter the priority queue by paying a $1,500 preorder fee instead. According to USA Today, the company plans to deliver the vehicles in late 2025.

You may wait for that release date or check out the other companies working on flying vehicles. Meanwhile, learn more about digital tips and trends at Inquirer Tech.

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