A US startup has demonstrated an airborne vehicle that it claims to be the world’s first flying car.
Alef Aeronautics released a video of its Model Zero prototype flying over a parked car on a public road in California, marking the first real-world test of the design concept.
“This drive and flight test represents an important proof of technology in a real-world city environment,” said Alef Aeronautics chief executive Jim Dukhovny.
“We hope it will be a moment similar to the Wright Brothers’ Kitty Hawk video, proving to humanity that new transportation is possible.”
Most “flying car” startups use a similar design to quadcopter drones, with external rotor blades setting them apart from current road-going cars. Others have adopted fold-down wings, which require a lot of space to take off.
The Alef Model Zero has a more conventional automotive design, which hides the rotor blades within the chassis of the car.
The startup said its 100 per cent electric car has a driving range of 320 kilometres and a flight range of around 160km.
Founded in 2015 – the same year flying cars were envisioned in the 1989 sci-fi film Back to the Future Part II – Alef Aeronautics hopes to eventually produce a vehicle that is “affordable for most people, not just the rich”.
The company has already secured more than 3,300 pre-orders for its Model A vehicle, which is expected to enter production later this year.
A manufacturing agreement to fulfil these orders has already been reached with PUCARA Aero and MYC, a joint venture that has produced aviation-grade parts for Airbus and Boeing.
Prices for Alef’s Model A start at around $300,000 (£237,000), though a second flying car dubbed the Model Z is expected to cost around $35,000.
“Designed to drive on the street, take off vertically when needed and fly overhead above traffic, we’re building the solution to the issues of modern congestion,” the company’s website states.
“It fits into a regular driving lane and conforms to all traffic regulatory conditions. Alef flying car fits into a regular parking space and inside a regular-sized garage.”
