OAN’s Brooke Mallory
6:19 PM – Wednesday, July 5, 2023
A completely electric flying automobile that will cost around $300,000 has recently received authorization to begin road and air testing.
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Alef Aeronautics, a California-based carmaker, announced in a news release that the Model A had acquired a Special Airworthiness Certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
According to the business, which has received funding from companies such as SpaceX, this is the first-ever certification for a flight-capable automobile.
“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,” said Alef CEO Jim Dukhovny.
Alef stated that its certification limits the regions and purposes for which it is authorized to fly due to growing FAA limitations connected to the exceptional capabilities of flying automobiles.
The company planned to build the first flying automobile capable of both street-driving and vertical takeoff. It is intended to be compatible with current urban infrastructure for driving and parking.
“We enable faster and easier commutes, driven by proprietary technology that elevates the vehicle without the need for runways,” Alef’s website said.
The flying automobile may take off vertically or horizontally and transport up to two passengers. It is planned to have a 200-mile driving range and a 110-mile flying range.
Buyers may join the main line for $150 or pay $1,500 to gain priority access when delivery begins.
Alef representatives said in January that around 440 individuals had already paid deposits in the final three months of 2022.
Dukhovny also told CNBC that buyers might expect to see their automobiles in the skies by 2025.
The Alef company is not the only flying vehicle and air taxi startup to have made a significant regulatory breakthrough in recent days. A company called Joby Aviation and their stock jumped 44% on Wednesday after it acquired a Special Airworthiness Certificate from the FAA.
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