RIVERSIDE, CA – Alef Automotive, a California-based startup, has announced their new fully-electric vehicle/aircraft hybrid – “Model A,” which is able to both fly in the air and drive on roadways – has received an official airworthiness certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) prior to its upcoming release in approximately two years.
Preorders for the Model A – which Alef Automotive say they expect to sell for $300,000 each – began earlier in 2023; over 400 customers have put money down on the space-age vehicle, with $150 pre-orders getting customers into the general queue and $1,500 pre-orders getting priority.
The Model A – whose development began in 2015 and was inspired by the “Back to the Future” movies – is the first flying vehicle that is able to be driven on public roads and can park like any ordinary car; it also has vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) abilities, and is able to transport up to two occupants for a range of 200 miles on the road or 110 miles in the air before needing to recharge.
On the Alef website, the Model A is noted as being certified as a “low speed vehicle,” with a top ground speed of approximately 25 miles per hour. If a faster traveling speed is required, the website says that the driver can make use of the Model A’s flight capabilities instead.
Alef Automotive anticipates making their initial batch of deliveries of the vehicle to customers by the end of 2025.
The FAA airworthiness certificate will allow the company to engage in exhibitions of the Model A, as well as giving the company the ability to conduct additional research and development, according to Alef CEO Jim Dukhovny.
We’re excited to receive this certification from the FAA,” he said. “It allows us to move closer to bringing people an environmentally friendly and faster commute, saving individuals and companies hours each week. This is a one small step for planes, one giant step for cars.”
The vehicle still needs approval from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration before it will be able to legally use roadways.
Christopher Boyle is an investigative journalist, videographer, reporter and writer for SEARCHEN NETWORKS® as well as other independent news and media organizations in the United States. Christopher works on a wide variety of topics and fields, has been featured in print and online in a variety of publications, from local to national, and helps keep a keen-eye on what’s happening in the automotive world for Auto Buyers Market.