A California-based company announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved its model for a flying car.
Key Details
- Alef Automotive says it received certification on June 12 for its Armada Model Zero, a vehicle takeoff and landing aircraft (VTOL) that can fly and drive on roads.
- The car is able to drive two occupants for 200 miles or fly for 110 miles. However, the vehicle will not be able to drive faster than 25 mph on a paved road and prioritizes flying.
- The vehicle is set to begin production soon and be delivered by late 2025—with more than 440 refundable pre-orders for the $300,000 car being ordered.
- The FAA”s certification allows for limited uses of exhibition, research, and development and will require further certification from the Department of Transportation to be street legal.
Why It’s Important
Flying cars have long been a popular dream for visionaries and futurists, considering it the next logical evolution of the automobile and envisioning a future where flight is as common as the motor vehicle is today.
Alef Automotive began work on its flying cars in 2015, inspired by the classic blockbuster film Back To the Future II and its depiction of a time-traveling flying Delorean. It began testing its experimental model in 2018 and received its first accreditation within the past month.
As we previously reported, Joby Aviation, an air-taxi manufacturer, officially began production on its flying taxis on Wednesday out of its Marina, California, production plant and is seeking FAA approval.
Notable Quotes
“We’re excited to receive this certification from the FAA. 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,” says Alef CEO Jim Dukhovny
“This certificate allows the aircraft to be used for limited purposes, including exhibition, research, and development. This is not the first aircraft of its kind for which the FAA has issued a Special Airworthiness Certificate,” says a statement from Alef Automotive.
