A car flying in the sky. Alef
San Mateo-based Alef has signed agreements with the Hollister and Half Moon Bay airports to conduct operations of the world’s first flying car – a road vehicle that can take off vertically. The company will begin test operations alongside other aircraft types.
Alef had also released a video earlier this year, giving its potential consumers a glimpse of the ‘Ultralight’ version of Model A jumping over another vehicle.
Now, the company is set to begin its test operations at the two Silicon Valley airports – Half Moon Bay and Hollister. It will test how the car works with other aircraft in air traffic.
Both airports could also serve as a base for flying cars in the near future, according to the company. Planning to start with the Model Zero Ultralight, Alef plans to expand its product base with other Model Zero models and the commercial Model A.
The grand plan
According to Alef’s website, the company has been working on building the flying car for almost a decade. The goal of the company is to develop its first consumer product, the Alef Model A.
Planned operations include driving, vertical takeoff, forward flight, and vertical landing, as well as air and ground manoeuvring. The vehicle is also classified as ‘ultralight’, meaning the company doesn’t need to have any legal certifications to fly the car, according to the company.
Alef pointed out that the classification brings certain restrictions for operators, such as limiting flights to daylight hours and prohibiting ultralight vehicles from flying over congested or densely populated areas like cities or towns.
The features
The flying car will be 100% electric, along with a driving range of 200 miles and a flight range of 110 miles. Thanks to its Model A, Alef created a buzz on social media in 2022 after unveiling its prototype.
“On average, the Alef flying car uses less energy per trip than a Tesla or any other EV,” the company said in a press release.
“Alef first and foremost is a car, using the automotive infrastructure, automotive business model, and automotive market. The novelty is integrating a car into the aviation infrastructure and air traffic,” said Jim Dukhovny, CEO of Alef.
“Working in safe, controlled, non-towered airport environments will help Alef, FAA, airport operators, and pilots see how this will work in the future at scale. Electric aviation is more environmentally friendly, quieter, and requires less space — hence it is good to see Silicon Valley airports embracing electric aviation,” he continued.
Beaconing a new future
The startup has already received more than 3,300 pre-orders for its fully electric flying car, which is expected to be priced at around $300,000. Customers can place a pre-order on Alef’s website with a $150 deposit, or pay $1,500 to secure a spot in the priority queue.
This partnership with the two airports could pave the way for Alef to introduce flying car fleets at these key hubs in the future. For the airports themselves, it marks progress toward embracing electric aviation.
Still, the upcoming test operations go beyond that—showcasing not only the fusion of car and aircraft technologies but also advanced AI-driven safety systems similar to those used in autonomous vehicles.
