The first fully electric flying car has been approved to start testing on the road and in the air and I think I’ve driven this exact car in The Simpsons: Hit and Run.
Alef Aeronautics, a Californian automotive and aviation startup, said in a press release it had received a Special Airworthiness Certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the Model A.
It’s the first approval for a flying car, according to the startup, which is backed by the likes of SpaceX AKA Elon Musk‘s spacecraft company.
“It allows us to move closer to bringing people an environmentally friendly and faster commute, saving individuals and companies hours each week. This is one small step for planes, one giant step for cars,” said Alef CEO Jim Dukhovny.
Due to evolving FAA restrictions tied to the unprecedented (and pretty much unknown) capabilities of flying cars, Alef said its certification limits the locations and purpose for which it is permitted to fly.
Alef Aeronautics aimed to produce the first flying car with both street driving and vertical take-off capabilities. It’s designed to fit within existing urban infrastructure for driving and parking so you can take your space car to the CBD no problems.
The flying car will apparently be able to take off vertically or horizontally, and can carry up to two people. It’s also expected to have a road range of 200 miles (320km) and a flying range of 110 miles (117km).
Buyers can pay a $150 deposit to join the general queue, or $1,500 to get priority access when deliveries start.
To get your mitts on one of these bad boys though you’re gonna need about $300K USD or $450K AUD, with first models of the car definitely not coming cheap for buyers.
About 440 people paid deposits in the final three months of 2022, Alef said in January. In December, Dukhovny told CNBC Make It that customers could expect to see their cars in the sky by 2025 which is only two years away!!
Call me old fashioned but as a girlie that has a mild to moderate fear of flying I’d like my car to stay firmly on the ground, thanks!
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