One of the things we GenX-ers joke about from time to time is that we were promised flying cars in the future. It’s the gold standard of futurism — and flying cars are long overdue.
If one California company has its way, you’ll be able to buy a flying car by 2025. Alef Aeronautics is developing what it calls the Model A, which, according to the company’s website, is “Designed to drive on the street, take off vertically when needed, and fly overhead above traffic.” Alef is billing the Model A as “the solution to the issues of modern congestion.”
The Alef press kit explains:
The first product is the Alef “Model A”, the only drivable flying car with vertical take-off and landing capabilities, fitting within existing urban infrastructure for driving and parking. The Alef “Model A” flying car has a driving range of 200 miles and a flight range of 110 miles. The gimbaled cabin design and elevon system provide a smooth, stable ride and flight, keeping occupants stable. There are no exposed propellers for added safety, dampening the sound, and saving space. Key safety components include, amongst others, Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP), triple to octuple redundancy of all key components, real-time thousand point diagnostics, pre-flight reject start diagnostics, obstacle detection and avoidance, glide landing, and full-vehicle ballistic parachute.
It all sounds unbelievably exciting, but there are some caveats. First off, it’s all-electric, and neither the driving nor flying range sounds all that impressive. I measured the approximate distances and could fly roughly to Clemson, S.C., Dublin, Ga., or Augusta, Ga., from my house in Georgia. (Can you imagine landing your Model A in a parking space at Augusta National? Talk about traveling in style!) As far as driving goes, I could drive to Valdosta, Ga., Savannah, Ga., or Birmingham, Ala., before needing to charge. Keep in mind that those are all straight-line mileages.
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Second, it costs $300,000. If you’re up for forking over that kind of money, you can get in on the ground floor with a $150 refundable deposit or $1,500 for priority availability on the Alef website. Third, it’s ugly. And finally, it’s only a two-seater, which is great for a romantic date-night flight but not practical for a larger party. Alef does have plans for a four-seater in 2035, and the company claims the flying Model Z sedan will be available in 2035 for $35,000 (not sure if that’s a typo or if Alef believes the prices will go down that dramatically in a decade).
The Model A is also the first flying car prototype to get the go-ahead from the U.S. government to fly. Business Insider reports:
The Californian automaker said last week that it had received a Special Airworthiness Certification from the Federal Aviation Administration for its Model A flying car, which it said marked the first time such a vehicle has received legal approval to fly from the US Government.
Because the FAA is currently developing policies for electrical vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles, the certificate limits the locations and purpose for which the car is permitted to fly.
I can’t help but wonder how easy this thing is to fly and drive. Surely Alef knows better than to use an old video game controller to pilot the Model A.
Depending on your perspective, this could be an exciting development, or it could be scary as all get out. Personally, I can tell you this much: if I could afford it, I wouldn’t be opposed to having one.
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