The FAA has just certified a California startup’s flying car.
It is THE first fully electric vehicle that can both fly and travel on roads to get US government approval. The Model A, is the first flying vehicle that is drivable on public roads and able to park like a regular car.
Jim Dukhovny, CEO of Alef Automotive said,
We’re excited to receive this certification from the FAA. It 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.”
It also has vertical takeoff and landing capabilities and will be able to carry one or two occupants with have a road-range of 200 miles and a flying range of half that.
How practical this car is to get you to work, on the ground? The company says 25 miles per hour on a paved road is the top speed.
The assumption is that, if a driver needs a faster route, a driver will use Alef’s flight capabilities.”
It still needs approval from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to go on roads.
The FAA said that Alef is “not the first aircraft of its kind” to get a special airworthiness certificate. Other companies are working on all-electric VTOLs, which stands for vehicle takeoff and landing aircraft.
Alef said earlier this year that it had taken refundable pre-orders for more than 400 of the vehicles; $150 for to be in the general waiting list or $1,500 for priority.
The company expects to sell it for $300,000 each with the first delivery by projected for the end of 2025.
Watch.
(via CNN)
