The sky’s no longer a limit for automobiles.
Alef Aeronautics is turning sci-fi into reality by beginning production on the world’s first-ever flying car, the Alef Model A Ultralight, which will likely be available to customers by early 2026.
“We are happy to report that production of the first flying car has started on schedule,” Jim Dukhovny, CEO of the California-based startup, said in a statement. “We’re finally able to get production off the ground.”
Manufactured at Alef’s Silicon Valley facility, the veritable electric Pegasus will take several months to complete.
According to the sustainable car company, the “Back To The Future”-esque vehicles are 100% electric and boast both take-off and landing abilities, making them ideal for navigating the bumper-to-bumper urban environment, Interesting Engineering reported.
Best of all, if the operator ever gets tired of flying, the Model A can also land and be driven on the road like something out of a James Bond movie.
Total price for presale: $300,000.
Alas, the flying car will only be available to select customers, who will trial it rigorously in real-world settings before it enters mass production.
In other words, they want to ensure the Model A’s safe and functional before the rubber hits the road, er, sky.
Nonetheless, this marks a major milestone for the company, which unveiled its first prototype nearly ten years ago,
They then rolled out the Model A in 2022, and, earlier this year, released the first-ever video of a vehicle soaring over traffic — highlighting the trailblazing ride’s congestion-dodging potential.
While hovering automobiles are not exactly new, the Model A is considered the “first true flying car” as it can perform both vertical liftoff and flight sans wings while also functioning as a street-legal vehicle.
Plus, the prototype doesn’t require heliports and a runway to take flight.
That places this multifaceted automobile in a separate league from the eVTOLS envisioned by Honda, Hyundai, BMW and other companies, which have been compared to glorified helicopters because they’re only capable of flight.
These dual air and ground functions are made possible by eight different rotors that can spin independently at varying speeds, allowing it to soar in different directions.
It also sports four engines in each of the wheels to facilitate terrestrial transportation.
As for mileage, the Model A offers a 220-mile driving range and a 110-mile flight range.
Go figure: Demand for the eagle-esque vehicle is soaring — Alef has already received 3,500 pre-orders, reportedly totaling a cool $1 billion.
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