US Govt approves world's first flying car! Fully electric with 177 km flying range

Alef Aeronautics is a California-based 'sustainable' electric transportation company formed in 2015, with the aim to create the world's first flying car. Seven years later, the company unveiled the first prototype of a flying car in October last year, confirming that a market launch could take place as soon as 2025. The Alef Model A has now been approved by the US Government to fly!




The Alef flying car has received a Special Airworthiness Certification from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), marking the first time a vehicle of this nature has received legal approval from the US Government to fly. The FAA is currently working on its policies for electrical vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles, while also governing interactions between eVTOLs and ground infrastructure. Hence, Alef's Special Airworthiness Certification limits the locations and purpose for which Alef is permitted to fly.

The Alef Model A can be driven on road, while it can also be used to fly over the traffic. The vehicle is claimed to have a driving range of 200 miles (322 km) and a flying range of 110 miles (177 km). Talking about its design, the Alef flying car has a futuristic flowy shape, but nothing too unorthodox. It comes fitted with the eight propellers housed inside the body itself. The car has enough space for one or two persons at max, but the company aims to build flying cars that can fit more passengers at a later stage.




Alef claims that it has received 'strong' pre-orders from both individuals as well as companies for the flying car. The company has been taking pre-orders for the vehicle for a token amount of $150 for general queue and $1,500 for priority queue. The Alef Model A flying car is expected to carry a price tag of $2,99,999, which translates to about Rs 2.46 crore in Indian currency.

Would you want to take a ride (or a flight) in this fully-electric flying car? Let us know in the comments down below.Discover everything about the automotive world at Times of India.