World’s first flying car will soon be flying and landing at California airports
Published on Aug 31, 2025 at 4:48 PM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Aug 28, 2025 at 3:04 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
Alef Aeronautics has been given the green light to bring the world’s first flying car to two airports in California.
Alef has been working on an EV flying car for a decade.
In 2022, it announced that it had built a new prototype called Model A.
Now, the California-based company has signed agreements allowing it to being operations of the world’s first flying car at two Silicon Valley airports.
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The Alef EV has been hailed as the world’s first flying car
While flying cars were once only the work of science fiction, Alef Aeronautics have spent 10 years making them a science fact.
Alef Aeronautics says its electric vehicle is the world’s first ‘true’ flying car.
The company showcased the flying car’s abilities by sharing footage of an ‘ultra light version’ of the Model A flying over another car earlier this year.
What sets them apart from traditional eVTOL (Electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles) flying cars is the fact that the Model A is fully functional as a car on the ground when not in flight.
“It fits into a regular driving lane and confines to all traffic regulatory conditions,” the company explained.
“The assumption is that, if a driver needs a faster route, a driver will use Alef’s flight capabilities.”
Alef Aeronautics says the Model A has a 220 mile driving range, and a 110 mile flight range.
The flying car obtained a Special Airworthiness Certification from the US Federal Aviation Administration in 2023.
This week, it announced another major milestone as it revealed it has permission to begin operations at Half Moon Bay Airport and Hollister Airport.
“Planned operations include driving, vertical takeoff, forward flight, and vertical landing, as well as air and ground maneuvering,” the company said in a statement.
Alef said it will begin operations with its Model Zero Ultralight, with plans to expand operations to its Model Z and Model A.
Pre-orders for the $300,000 flying car have flown in
Alef Aeronautics opened pre-orders for the world’s first flying car back in 2023.
The Alef Model A will cost $299,999 and can be secured with a deposit of just $150, or $1,500 to be in the ‘priority queue’.
The company says it has attracted more than 3,000 pre-orders for its upcoming flying EV.
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Claire Reid is a journalist who hails from the UK but is now living in New Zealand. She began her career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Liverpool John Moore’s University and has more than a decade of experience, writing for both local newspapers and national news sites. Claire covers a wide variety of topics, with a special focus on cars, technology, planes, cryptocurrency, and luxury.
