Current:Home > InvestA California company has received FAA certification for its flying car-VaTradeCoin
A California company has received FAA certification for its flying car
View Date:2025-01-11 04:56:46
For decades, futurists have dreamed of flying cars, with little real-world progress. Now, one company has gotten a step closer to making that vision a reality, receiving government approval to test-fly its sports car.
Alef, a California-based aeronautics company, recently announced it received a Special Airworthiness Certification from the Federal Aviation Administration, allowing it to fly the car in limited locations.
The company's Armada Model Zero aircraft received the certification on June 12, the FAA told CBS MoneyWatch. "This certificate allows the aircraft to be used for limited purposes, including exhibition, research and development. This is not the first aircraft of its kind for which the FAA has issued a Special Airworthiness Certificate," the agency said in a statement.
Alef's founders started working on the project in 2015, the year named in the classic sci-fi film "Back to the Future II" — which features flying cars — and unveiled a prototype late last year. Its first vehicle, dubbed the Model A, is a street-legal car that can ride on roads and park in a standard parking space.
It can also take off vertically and fly through the air in any direction, the company said. The vehicle has a flying range of 110 miles, and a driving range of 200, according to Alef.
Receiving FAA certification "allows us to move closer to bringing people an environmentally friendly and faster commute, saving individuals and companies hours each week," Alef CEO Jim Dukhovny said in a statement.
The all-electric ride is priced at $300,000, with a more expensive hydrogen option offering a longer range. It holds one or two people, according to the company.
Sleek and gray, and resembling a sports car, the vehicle boasts hidden propellers and a gimbaled driving cabin to stabilize the driver and passenger.
According to its website, the company aims to create "the fastest and most convenient transport ever created from the point of origin to the final destination," calling its product "the solution to the issues of modern congestion."
The company in January said it received 440 preorders for the $300,000 vehicle, which is set to start production and delivery in late 2025.
Alef is also working on a four-person sedan, which the company promises to release in 2035.
veryGood! (86)
Related
- FBI offers up to $25,000 reward for information about suspect behind Northwest ballot box fires
- Rapper Fatman Scoop's cause of death revealed a month after death: Reports
- Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story Stars React to Erik Menendez’s Criticism
- WNBA playoff games today: What to know for Sun vs. Fever, Lynx vs. Mercury on Wednesday
- Does the NFL have a special teams bias when hiring head coaches? History indicates it does
- DWTS' Daniella Karagach Gives Unfiltered Reaction to Husband Pasha Pashkov's Elimination
- Rapper Fatman Scoop's cause of death revealed a month after death: Reports
- Spotted: Katie Holmes With a $35 Tote & Rocking the Barn Jacket Trend (Plus Affordable Picks Under $100)
- Jordan Chiles Reveals She Still Has Bronze Medal in Emotional Update After 2024 Olympics Controversy
- Rapper Fatman Scoop's cause of death revealed a month after death: Reports
Ranking
- Why the US celebrates Veterans Day and how the holiday has changed over time
- Dancing With the Stars’ Danny Amendola Sets Record Straight on Xandra Pohl Dating Rumors
- Sara Foster Addresses Tommy Haas Breakup Rumors
- Colorado man’s malicious prosecution lawsuit over charges in his wife’s death was dismissed
- Disney x Lululemon Limited-Edition Collection: Shop Before It Sells Out
- Mega Millions winning numbers for September 24 drawing; jackpot at $62 million
- Kenny G says Whitney Houston was 'amazing', recalls their shared history in memoir
- Johnny Depp calls Amber Heard defamation trial 'a soap opera' while promoting new film
Recommendation
-
McDonald's Version: New Bestie Bundle meals celebrate Swiftie friendship bracelets
-
DOJ's Visa antitrust lawsuit alleges debit card company monopoly
-
The Latest: Candidates will try to counter criticisms of them in dueling speeches
-
Pirates DFA Rowdy Tellez, four plate appearances away from $200,000 bonus
-
RHOBH's Kyle Richards Addresses PK Kemsley Cheating Rumors in the Best Way Possible
-
A Missouri man has been executed for a 1998 murder. Was he guilty or innocent?
-
Las Vegas Aces, New York Liberty advance, will meet in semifinals of 2024 WNBA playoffs
-
Overseas voters are the latest target in Trump’s false narrative on election fraud