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Cars Updated on July 1, 2023 5:06pm EDT

World's first fully electric flying car

approved by FAA and accepting
preorders
Alef Aero's website is taking deposits for the car expected to sell for $300,000
U.S. Stock Market Quotes
By Brie Stimson FOXBusiness Quotes displayed in real-time

Chinese company's 'flying car' lifts off for first time in Dubai
China's Xpeng Aeroht conducts the first public flight of its electric 'flying car'

A California company building a flying electric car is now taking preorders.

Alef Aeronautics’ flying car has been given a Special Airworthiness Certification from the
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), meaning the company will be allowed to road/air
test the car, the company said in a news release.

The fully-electric vehicle (with a hydrogen option for a higher price) is a low-speed vehicle
that can be driven up to 200 miles on public roads and fits into a regular garage, but it can
also launch vertically into the air with a flying range of 110 miles, according to Alef's
website.

The company's "Model A" car "can fly forward above the obstacles until a desired
destination is reached," the San Mateo-based company says. "The driver and the cabin are
stabilized by a unique gimbaled rotating cabin design."

CHINESE COMPANY'S ‘FLYING CAR’ LIFTS OFF FOR FIRST TIME IN DUBAI

Alef Aeronautics' flying car can launch vertically into the air and fly in any direction, the company says. (Alef Aero
/ Fox News)

Alef touts the car’s ability to avoid traffic, fly in any direction while giving a "cinematic 180
plus degree view for safe and enjoyable flight."

Customers can preorder the vehicle, which can seat up to two people is expected to cost
around $300,000.

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An FAA spokesperson told Fox Business it "issued a Special Airworthiness Certificate for
the Armada Model Zero aircraft on June 12, 2023. This certificate allows the aircraft to be
used for limited purposes, including exhibition, research and development. This is not the
first aircraft of its kind for which the FAA has issued a Special Airworthiness Certificate."

Customers can preorder the vehicle, which can seat up to two people is expected to cost around $300,000. (Alef
Aero / Fox News)

Alef first unveiled the car last October, and said it has already taken a "strong" number of
preorders from people and businesses.

The FAA is working on policies for the takeoff and landing of electric vehicles, the
company said.

"We're excited to receive this certification from the FAA," Alef CEO Jim Dukhovny, who co-
the company in 2015, said in a statement.

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Dukhovny and co-founders Constantine Kisly, Pavel Markin and Oleg Petrovwere were first
inspired to first try to create a flying car in 2015, when they realized it was the same year
Marty McFly drove one in "Back to the Future II," the website says.

"During one of the Science Fiction lectures, Jim Dukhovny talked about how flying cars are
finally possible in 2015," the website says. "But he lacked technical skills to take on such a
complicated task by himself."

The four met at a café and set out to design a flying car.

Dukhovny added that the certification "allows us to move closer to bringing people an
environmentally friendly and faster commute, saving individuals and companies hours
each week. This is a one small step for planes, one giant step for cars."

Fox Business has reached out to Alef Aero for comment.

Conversation 158 Comments 4.8K Viewing

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4 People typing

a ajrand954
1 hour ago
This car will be incredible. If handled properly, it will always take its operator and occupants to the
of the crash.
Reply 53 1 Share

d deplorableamerican157
27 minutes ago
And they will be the first ones there!

Reply 13 1 Share
Show 3 more replies

s sbarat
40 minutes ago
Truth is, whenever this becomes our mainstream reality, the infrastructure will require these cars to
e self automated and completely integrated to a transit communications network. This will
reduce accidents related to human error. Just give me back to the future part II and I’ll
...
See more
Reply 10 Share

μολωνλαβε
1 hour ago
How nice. Most people cannot seem to handle driving in two dimensions and now we are going to
them three.
Reply 36 Share
1 reply

razorsedgeartwork
48 minutes ago
This is easily the 300th "first flying car" in the last couple years.

And a 300k pre-order on a vehicle that exists only in cartoons, where do I sign up?

Reply 12 Share
1 reply

l liberty53
38 minutes ago
We can't drive correctly when surrounded by lines, lights, lanes, signs, etc. Can you imagine how
will be about 200 ft up?
Reply 9 Share
2 replies

b biscuitcrux
31 minutes ago
Nope. People can't even handle cars on the roads.
98% of car wrecks are due to driver error, per the NHTSA.
The Jetsons were a CARTOON.
Reply 9 Share

tapiocaaardvark
24 minutes ago
It was? Astro is not real?
Reply 4 Share

adwhatnow
1 minute ago
No. Dino was real.
Reply Share
Show 2 more replies

a aoshi
32 minutes ago
What about the rest of the untold story? Pilot’s license, medical exam, radio license, controlled
irspace, ADSB reporting, avionics, insurance, etc. This is not a back out of your garage and take
in your street affair. Maintenance is another. Annual inspections, 100 hour inspections, parts

See more
Reply 7 Share

1 replying

w wearefreetochoose
29 minutes ago
You left out "health and psyche evals"! Great points, nonetheless. (:

Reply 2 Share
1 reply

NTXrider
1 minute ago
Uncontrolled [class g] airspace up to 1200' [700 in some areas ]will be a free for
'

flying cars...Amazon unmanned delivery vehicles....get out the popcorn

Reply Share

oldmarinetoo
1 hour ago
At $300,000 they should sell millions right? Maybe the government will give tax credits for these
are electric after all.
Reply 11 1 Share

u underthedog
37 minutes ago
Not too bright. No air rules, right of way or anything to limit collisions. Disaster waiting to happen.
Reply 10 1 Share

J JohnDoe55005500
1 hour ago
Wonder how States with their Draconian toll booths are going to react to this one.
Reply 9 1 Share

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