If you’ve ever been stuck in traffic, staring at the open sky and wishing your car could just take off, Alef Aeronautics has some good news for you. Their drivable flying car, the Alef Model A, just completed its first real-world flight near San Mateo, California. No, this wasn’t a sci-fi movie shoot. It was an actual car, on an actual road, that actually lifted off the ground.
For its maiden voyage, Alef used an ultralight version of the Model Zero, which first drove around like a totally normal car—until it decided roads were overrated and took to the sky. It even hovered over another vehicle, which, let’s be honest, probably left the driver questioning reality.
Now, before you imagine yourself soaring over rush hour traffic, there are a few details to note. The Model A can drive up to 200 miles (322 km), but in the air, it’s more of a short-haul flyer, maxing out at 110 miles (177 km). Unlike some flying car concepts that look like drones on wheels, Alef’s design keeps it sleek, hiding its propellers and featuring a gimbaled cabin to keep passengers from feeling like they’re inside a spinning lottery machine. Oh, and it’s fully electric—because nothing ruins a futuristic vibe like a trip to the gas station.
Of course, Alef isn’t the only company trying to make flying cars a thing. Klein Vision’s AirCar has, in recent years, completed the first-ever inter-city flight between two airports, proving that the dream of airborne commuting isn’t just for action movies. But while Klein Vision’s creation looks more like a plane that moonlights as a car, Alef is betting on a true road-to-air experience.
So, will we all be dodging sky traffic in the near future? Well, the FAA has already given Alef a Special Airworthiness Certificate, so they’re cleared to fly. Whether city planners are ready for us to start ignoring traffic lights from above is another story.
Images: Alef Aeronautics.
