Bay Area company takes thousands of preorders for 'first true flying car in history'

Alef's flying car

Bay Area company Alef says its flying car has vertical takeoff and landing capabilities. Video credit: Alef

SAN MATEO, Calif. - A Bay Area aeronautics company is taking pre-orders for what it’s calling the "first true flying car in history."

San Mateo-based Alef said it has begun pre-production of its groundbreaking flying cars in its Silicon Valley warehouses.

What we know:

The vehicle is said to be the first ever to perform as a road-legal passenger car that has vertical takeoff and landing capabilities.

The aircraft does not need an airport or runway to take off.

Among its other features, the cars are 100% electric, with a driving range of 200 miles and a flight range of 110 miles.

"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.

Sleek design

Alef said its flying car uses ultra-light, ultra-strong components with a sleek design for stability.

"The gimbaled cabin design and elevon system provide a smooth, stable ride and flight, keeping occupants stable," the company said. "There are no exposed propellers for added safety, dampening the sound, and saving space."

Alef Model A with doors open. (Alef Aeronautics)

The Alef Model A

Alef said that in the short term, the goal is to develop its first consumer product, the Alef Model A.

The vehicle falls under the "ultralight" classification, so as of present day, no certification is required to legally fly the cars, the company explained to KTVU.

Though Alef noted that the classification does come with limitations for operators. Those include being restricted to flying only during daylight. Ultralight vehicles are also prohibited from going over congested or densely populated areas like cities or towns.

Timeline:

In 2019, after years of design and research and development, the company said its engineers succeeded in flying its first full-size prototype.

The vehicle was then converted for autonomous flight, so engineers could safely continue testing.

In 2022, the company rebranded and publicly launched under the name of Alef with "a defined mission and vision for a new consumer future," the aeronautics firm said.

Among its early investors was Tim Draper, one of the first venture capitalists to invest in Tesla, the company noted.

How much does a flying car cost?

At $300,000, the vehicle’s price tag is steep, and Alef explained that with these first productions, manufacturing costs are significant due to the "hand-made in-house level."

But once the vehicles hit high volume and mass production gets underway, Alef said consumers can expect the prices to plummet and would be even cheaper than the price of popular compact cars.

Cheaper than a Toyota Corolla?:

"Cost should drop down drastically, eventually below levels of Toyota Corolla or Ford Focus," Alef said.

On Thursday, the company said the vehicles have had "major technical updates," with details of those updates to be released soon.

Pre-orders

Alef said it has received more than 3,400 pre-orders, worth about $1 billion.

"The priority of who gets their orders fulfilled first depends on their place in line, whether the customer is in a regular line or priority lines, and the geolocation of our first chosen market to deploy," company officials said.

To get into the general queue for pre-order, it costs $150.

For those who want to sign up for the priority queue, the cost is $1,500.

Alef’s Model A flying car could be in the air in the coming months.

"If everything goes according to plan, and no major external changes, Alef plans to start production of the first vehicle by the end of 2025 or Q1 of 2026," the company said, with delivery to follow.