If you have an extra $300,000 lying around, traffic jams could be a thing of the past! Alef Aeronautics is attempting to make the dream of traffic free travel a reality.
Alef Aeronautics has revealed its plan to make flying cars available to the general public, but right now it comes with a hefty price tag. Alef has released what they are calling Model A, the first flying car ready for mass production. For those fortunate enough to have the money, these vehicles are available for pre-order, but if it’s to go mainstream, they have to find a way to make it affordable for the average consumer. The Model-A was revealed at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this month. The car can be driven on the road, but it can also take off vertically and fly over traffic.
The price for the car right now is $300,000. “We tried to design and create the first true flying car,” said Jim Dukhovny, CEO of Alef Aeronautics. The car is 100% electric and can fly up to 200 miles. It is made to be safer than anything else that flies today. Dukhovny expects the car to have its first public demonstration by early 2024.
There are some downsides, mainly the need for a pilot’s license to operate the car. Dukhovny expects the price to go down to around $35,000 within the next 10 years, and they hope to eliminate the need for a pilot’s license. Model-A will need to gain full FAA authorization for average people to be able to drive or fly the car.
Dukhovny explained why they put so much effort into designing a car that can fly,” highlighting”,how most commuters spend what amounts to about one week per year, on average, sitting in traffic. Flying cars would make people more productive and give them back the one thing they can not buy, which is more time.
NASA is currently working on a solution to make a “highway for the sky,” which will include flying cars, e-vol taxis and drone delivery services”.There are 18 current investors in the flying car.
Alef Aeronautics says that they have received 2,800 pre-orders for the car, so many orders that it crashed their payment system, according to Dukvonhy.
No one knows for sure what the future holds, but for many who spend hours on the road, the future is looking much brighter.
