$300,000 Flying Car Receives U.S. Government Approval For Test Flights

A California startup received U.S. government approval for a completely electric flying car that can both travel by air and on roads.

Alef Aeronautics said that its vehicle, known as the Model A, is the first flying car that can drive on public roads and park like a regular car. It features vertical takeoff and landing and can carry one or two passengers. The Model A has a range of 200 miles while on the road and 110 miles in the air.

The technology company intends to sell the vehicle for $300,000 with its first delivery by the end of 2025.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said that it had given Alef Aeronautics airworthiness certification, permitting exhibition, research and development.

Several companies have similar vehicles in development. The FAA has claimed that Alef’s vehicle is “not the first aircraft of its kind” to receive certification, but the company advertises that its product is different because of the vehicle’s ability to drive on roads and in the air as well as its close appearance to an actual car.

Jim Dukhovny, the CEO of Alef Aeronautics, said that the FAA certification allows them to save “individuals and companies hours each week” in “an environmentally friendly and faster commute.” He continued, saying, “This is one small step for planes, one giant step for cars.”

But the flying car is only a “low-speed vehicle” on the road, only able to drive 25 miles per hour. It also needs permission from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to be able to travel on roads.

For faster commutes, the company said that drivers would use the vehicle’s flying capabilities.

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The company began developing the vehicle in 2015. Founders Dukhovny, Constantine Kisly, Pavel Markin and Oleg Petrov said they took inspiration from the movie Back to the Future. The company claimed in a press release late last year that it had a full-size prototype that was capable of flying in 2019, but it needed FAA certification to continue research and development. Alef also declared that it had received more than 400 pre-orders for its vehicle.