Even with the FAA certification, Alef has a long way to go to making its flying car a practical reality. Its Model A will likely have a payload of just 200 pounds, barely enough for one passenger and some baggage, though the company plans to expand the capacity of subsequent models. Meant to function as both a car on the road and a drone-like aircraft in the sky, its driving range is 200 miles and its flying range is 110 miles. That range is expected to be higher in a different prototype that will use hydrogen fuel cells rather than electric batteries.
Jim Dukhovny, CEO of Alef, says the FAA’s certification allows the company to “move closer to bringing people an environmentally friendly and faster commute, saving individuals and companies hours each week. This is one small step for planes, one giant step for cars.” Even with a $300,000 price tag, Alef is receiving pre-orders for its flying car, which it plans to bring to market in 2025. Now that the company has the FAA’s approval, the supply could soon follow.
The car houses its passenger inside a bubble surrounded by eight propellers, which, like with a drone, can be used for vertical take-off. One side of the car’s body becomes the top wing of the aircraft, while the other becomes the bottom. If that sounds both futuristic and highly ambitious, that’s because it is. This transition to forward flight hasn’t been tested with a human passenger yet, though with the FAA’s limited approval and likely rounds of additional funding, Alef will presumably test the design at some point.
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