The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved Alef Aeronautics’ flying car, the “Model A,” a Special Airworthiness Certification, signifying the green light for road and air testing.
Alef Aeronautics, based in San Mateo, has become the first company worldwide to navigate the regulatory complexities surrounding airborne vehicles.
The ‘Model A’ is operated entirely on electric power with an optional hydrogen power upgrade at a higher price.
This flying car, which can be driven on roads like any conventional vehicle, has been designed for vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL), enabling it to fly like an aircraft.
“This is one small step for planes, one giant step for cars,” stated Jim Dukhovny, the CEO of Alef Aeronautics.
“The driver and the cabin are stabilized by a unique gimbaled rotating cabin design,” Dukhovny said, adding, they can fly in any direction while giving a “cinematic 180 plus degree view for safe and enjoyable flight.”
On public roads, this low-speed vehicle can travel up to 200 miles, fitting comfortably into a regular garage. When the road ends, it can launch vertically and fly up to a range of 110 miles. However, this one-of-a-kind automobile can only accommodate two people.
The Model A is currently available for preorders on Alef’s website. This vehicle is priced at approximately $300,000. Those interested can secure a spot on the waiting list with a deposit of $150, or get a priority spot by paying $1,500.
“Alef “Model A” is a Low Speed Vehicle (LSV) which has legal speed and other limitations in most states. The assumption is that, if a driver needs a faster route, a driver will use Alef’s flight capabilities,” according to Aelf’s website.
Adding, “Alef flying car offers a unique experience of flight in any direction (forward, backward, right, left, up, down, at an angle). It offers the ability to bypass the problematic areas on the ground, by flying over them. It offers a cinematic 180 degree plus view for safe and enjoyable flight. Many other previewers expressed unique experiences which are not offered today.”
FOX News reported:
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.”
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-founded the company in 2015, said in a statement.
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.
