A flying car developed by Alef Aeronautics has become the first one to be granted a legal approval from the US government. The company said that it has received a Special Airworthiness Certification from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), as per Aviation law firm Aero Law Center.
"The FAA is actively working on its policies for electrical vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles, as well as governing interactions between eVTOLs and ground infrastructure,” Alef Aeronautics said in a statement.
"Alef's Special Airworthiness Certificate, therefore, limits the locations and purpose for which Alef is permitted to fly," the statement added.
The flying car is 100% electric, can be driven on roads, has vertical take-off and landing capabilities and can carry one or two occupants. Now coming to the cost of the same. The flying car is priced at roughly $300,000 which is approximately Rs 2.46 crore. According to Fox News, it can fly over stopped traffic and accidents on roadways.
Alef hopes to deliver the flying cars to customers by the end of 2025. "Alef is aiming to deliver the first real flying car in history, and to receive so many early pre-orders is an incredible validation of the market potential we're looking to satisfy," CEO Jim Dukhovny said. Meanwhile, 440 of the company’s vehicles have been pre-ordered "from both individuals and corporate consumers."
The flying car is being developed to drive on urban and rural roads and can be parked in regular-sized parking garages. It won’t go faster than 25 miles per hour or 40.23 km approx. "The assumption is that, if a driver needs a faster route, a driver will use Alef's flight capabilities," Alef stated on its website.
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