Alef Aeronautics, headquartered in California, recently revealed its groundbreaking flying car, debuting it at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. This innovation marks a significant step forward in personal transportation technology. Alef has been diligently working on its flying car project since 2015, with the ambitious goal of creating vehicles capable of both vertical takeoff and landing, as well as conventional road driving.
Dubbed the “Model A,” Alef’s flying car obtained a pioneering Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) certification in 2023, making it the first of its kind to achieve such recognition. Constantine Kisly, the Chief Technology Officer of Alef Aeronautics, described the vehicle as akin to the flying cars often depicted in science fiction, combining the functionality of driving and flying to optimize efficiency and circumvent traffic congestion.
“It’s really a flying car like the one you know from science fiction,” says Constantine Kisly.
“So it drives and flies. So why should it have a flying option? That’s how you can use it efficiently, how we can drive efficiently without traffic. So why drive? Driving option is the goal not to change existing infrastructure,” he added.
Alef’s prototypes accommodate two passengers each, with the “Model A” leading the pack. The company aims for a driving and flying range of 200 miles (320 kilometers). Initial production, slated to begin by the end of 2025, targets a range of approximately 110 miles (170 kilometers) for two passengers. The vehicle operates on electric propulsion with eight motors and LiPo batteries, although Alef remains open to alternative power sources like hydrogen cells.
“It has eight motors, electric propulsion. We’re using the LiPo (lithium polymer) batteries, available on the market, so, the idea is to go on the market as fast as possible.
We are not particularly stuck on a particular powertrain, so we can use hydrogen, for example. Hydrogen cells, yes, definitely,” says Kisly.
With a starting price of around $300,000 (€376,600), Alef’s flying car targets a reduction in cost comparable to standard sedans through mass production. The company has already garnered nearly 3,000 pre-orders, indicative of significant interest and potential market demand.
Alef’s flying car represents cutting-edge technology in electric-powered aviation, boasting vertical takeoff and landing capabilities alongside road driving functionality. Its innovative design features a mesh-topped body with spacious accommodations for passengers, minimizing urban congestion while offering faster and more accessible travel options.
“We are in the business of solving traffic problems. It’s a big challenge for cities, for humanity. And that’s what we are doing. We are thinking of using the airspace. So you can go under the ground. You can do things on the ground. So we’re are going above the ground,” added Kisly.
Kisly emphasized Alef’s commitment to addressing traffic challenges through airspace utilization, proposing an alternative to ground-based transportation. The company’s vision extends to the development of air taxis, scheduled for production by the end of 2025, contingent upon regulatory updates permitting their operation.
While Alef stands among several companies globally working on air car and air taxi prototypes, its offering distinguishes itself as one of the most aesthetically pleasing and technologically advanced options available. As Alef progresses towards production, anticipation builds for the transformative impact its flying cars could have on personal mobility and urban infrastructure.
