Today’s Focus of Attention is reader-supported. We sometimes include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission.
From aeroplanes to rockets to fictional flying saucers and carpets, objects that defy gravity have always fascinated us.
And today’s article is precisely about a flying car that has the green light to take to the skies.
A leap into the future of transport
Alef Aeronautics, a Californian automaker, became the first to get approval from the US Government to test the world’s first real flying car.
Never before has this happened with a vehicle like this.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted Alef a Special Airworthiness Certification, allowing the company to test on the roads and in the air.
The automaker unveiled its “Model A” electric flying vehicle in October 2022 and has since received deposits for pre-orders that start at $300,000.
Yes, that’s the price.
Jim Dukhovny, Alef’s CEO, declared, “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.”
Dukhovny said he expected the vehicle to be available in the last quarter of 2025. So, there’s still time to save some money to get it.
Alef’s “Model A” characteristics
The design of this ‘roadable aircraft’ allows for both street driving and vertical takeoff. As well as to integrate seamlessly with current urban infrastructure, including streets, highways, and parking facilities.
This flying car, which can carry up to two people, is likely to have a road range of around 320 kilometres and a flying range of about 177.
Pre-orders
Alef Aeronautics affirmed it’s received more than $250 million in advance for its “Model A” since October 2022. Doing the math, it means close to 834 cars at $300,000 each.
In January, the company said that 440 vehicles had been pre-ordered, including an order placed by a large Hong Kong-based aviation technology firm.
How did it all start? Alef Aeronautics history
The journey began in 2015, when an idea from “Back to the Future” sparked. Four friends, each a genius in their own right, met and decided to create a tangible flying car.
As they were in a cafe, the first sketch was on a napkin. Yet, naively, they believed they could turn their vision into reality in six months. Of course, it didn’t happen that way.
Then, in 2016, they built a small prototype, which caught the attention of a businessman who, impressed by what he saw, invested in the friends’ dream.
2018 was the year when they flew their first full-size ‘skeleton’ flying car, proving that their calculations and research were correct. And just a few months later, they had created a fully fledged prototype and showed that it could drive, take off vertically, and move forward.
Moving on to 2021, the ‘fantastic four’ hired a famous designer who had worked with Bugatti and other top brands to create a modern and sporty look for their consumer vehicle.
In 2022, the company was rebranded to “Alef”, launched its public website, and announced its mission and vision to the world.
Alef is not the only one to have received the green light to test flying cars
In June, Joby Aviation, a company that manufactures electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles, was likewise granted a Special Airworthiness Certificate from the FAA to begin flight testing.
Joby’s vehicles are not precisely cars; they are large drones with the capacity to carry four passengers and a pilot.
The good thing for JA is that Delta Air Lines is pouring money into launching an eVTOL taxi service from Manhattan to JFK airport. This will reduce the time from one hour by car to only 10 minutes by drone.
Toyota is also an investor in this company, and its CEO will now be part of Joby’s board.
Joby Aviation hopes to begin passenger operations in 2025, if all test flights go as planned.
Flying cars on TV and the big screen
Aero cars have inspired writers and filmmakers to create worlds where these vehicles glide across oceans, valleys, and metropolises.
As far as I remember, it was 1962 when the futuristic animated series “The Jetsons” showed flying cars as a staple of everyday life, apart from other ‘imaginary’ technologies.
Regarding movies, one of the earliest examples of a winged car is the 1968 “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.” In this Ian Fleming musical adventure film, the eccentric inventor Caractatus Potts creates a magical car that not only drives but also flies and floats on water.
Almost a couple of decades later, in 1982, “Blade Runner” featured flying vehicles called spinners. In a notable scene, the protagonist is seen piloting the spinner through the towering skyscrapers and the neon-lit streets, showcasing the agility of the sleek vehicle.
But the most memorable one is “Back to the Future.” High school student Marty McFly becomes involved in time travel adventures when he encounters a DeLorean car transformed into a flying time machine by weird scientist Dr Emmet “Doc” Brown.
Then, in 1997, “The Fifth Element” portrayed a futuristic city with flying taxis, police patrols, and even lunch waggons selling food to those living in tall buildings.
And let’s not forget “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.” In this 2002 movie, Harry and Ron use Ron’s father’s enchanted Ford Anglia to catch the Hogwarts Express train to return to their magical school. Under the cover of darkness, they navigate the night sky, weaving between clouds and dodging trees. Though this is not the best example of how to drive a flight-capable car.
Final thoughts
Many of us wondered if, in our lifetime, we could sail the skies on a personal aerial automobile.
This is the beginning of a new realm of possibilities for efficient and eco-friendly transport. And if everything goes alright, flying cars, drones, or any kind of VTOL car will be part of our daily lives, as in “The Jetsons”.
To commute, wheel it out of the garage and take off vertically. That’s all. Stuck in traffic? Child’s play. Rise into the sky and problem solved.
It would be of unparalleled convenience, without a doubt.
If these vehicles prove efficient and safe, they will set the stage for an exciting era of urban air mobility, transforming our cities and redefining the way we commute.
To be honest, I never thought I was going to live long enough to see a flying car.
What about you? Let us know in the comments below!
