Flying cars in the USA

The future is getting closer – this time in terms of flying cars. You heard right. In fact, several companies already have their first test registrations. You can find out more here.

Californian start-up Alef Aeronautics presents the first and only drivable flying car with vertical take-off and landing that fits into today’s road infrastructure. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted the company a certificate of airworthiness for test flights. And Alef is setting its sights high – in the truest sense of the word. It intends to launch its flying car on the market as early as the year after next.

Alef Automotive was founded in 2015. The company defines its flying cars as follows:

• Functioning in existing infrastructure and drivable (for example, in conventional parking lots and lanes)
• Vertical take-off and landing
• 100% electric

Alef Automotive intends to solve the commuter problem with flying cars. Traffic jams in city centers are to be reduced by simply flying over them. CEO Jim Dukhovny says: “The Alef model is a modern solution to the urban and rural transportation needs of the 21st century because it is the fastest and most convenient means of transportation ever developed from origin to destination. By giving consumers the option to choose between driving and flying, the Alef flying car enables the optimal route depending on road conditions, weather and infrastructure.”

The flying car “Model A” is Alef’s first product and was presented in October 2022. It is now ready to take off for exhibition, research and development. The “Model A” is a fully electric and all-wheel drive car. So far, the car is designed for just two people and the battery charge lasts around 320 kilometers. Further details on the motorization or the drive battery are still unknown.
And how can it fly? It rises vertically into the air and can then fly in all directions – similar to a drone. So far, the “Model A” is unique in terms of its vertical take-off and landing capability. Its range is around 177 kilometers. Safety is ensured in various ways: there is an assistant, obstacle detection and avoidance and a parachute for the entire car. However, “Model A” is not only a flying car, but can also be used on the road. However, it only has a maximum speed of 40 km/h and a range of around 322 kilometers. The flying car was developed using the latest hardware and software technologies, ultra-light and ultra-strong components, software simulators and analyses as well as rigorous flight tests.

Alef’s flying car is scheduled to go into production and delivery in the fourth quarter of 2025. The purchase price is currently around 300,000 US dollars. However, you can get on the waiting list for pre-orders for as little as 150 US dollars. However, the flying car will not actually be available for use for the time being. The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has to approve flying cars for road use.

However, Alef Automotive is not the only company with test approvals from the FFA for flying cars. There is also the Chinese manufacturer Xpeng, the Australian company Alauda Aeronautics and the Californian company Aska. So could flying cars soon be shaping our cityscapes instead of moving ones? In any case, the construction of flying cars is full of challenges. And these are not only technical, but also bureaucratic.

Alef is also working on other models for flying cars. For example, there is the four-seater sedan “Model Z” for 35,000 US dollars. This should be able to fly over 640 kilometers and drive 322 kilometers. According to the company, however, this flying car will not come onto the market until 2035.

Speaking of flying: Aviation emits large amounts of_CO2 every year and is therefore partly responsible for climate change. Is climate-neutral flying also possible? Read all about it here.