Watch Bay Area firm’s flying car in action as future arrives. How much will they cost?
Alef Aeronautics Inc., a San Francisco Bay Area company, announced this week that it successfully conducted a flight test of its flying car in a city environment and released video showing the car driving on a road and taking off vertically.
Alef said it’s the first-ever video of its kind showing a car driving and taking off vertically.
“This drive and flight test represents an important proof of technology in a real-world city environment,” Jim Dukhovny, CEO of Alef, said in a news release. “We hope it will be a moment similar to the Wright Brothers’ Kitty Hawk video, proving to humanity that new transportation is possible.
The test was conducted with thorough safety measures, the company emphasized, ensuring the road was closed off during the flight test, nobody was under or near the flight path, the surrounding area was not densely populated and safety equipment and emergency crews were present. There were no safety issues.
Alef’s flying car is 100% electric, able to drive on public roads and has vertical takeoff and landing capabilities. Alef said it has taken 3,330 pre-orders through its website. The first Alef flying car is available for pre-sale to consumers for $300,000.
The flying car is designed to accommodate one passenger and one pilot, the company said. The flying car dubbed Model A can drive up to 200 miles with a 110-mile flight range. and carries a $300,000 price tag, according to media reports.
The Model A is the precurser of a four-person sedan, Alef Model Z, projected to be introduced in 2035 priced at $35,000, the company said.
The Model Z will be capable of flying 200 miles with a driving range of 400 miles, according to Alef. It is also projected to have autonomous flight capabilities.
Alef, a sustainable electric transportation company founded in 2015, is based in San Mateo, California.
Other automakers and startups are also working on bringing “flying cars” to consumers.
This story was originally published February 21, 2025 at 2:33 PM with the headline "Watch Bay Area firm’s flying car in action as future arrives. How much will they cost?."
