Flying car startup backed by SpaceX says preorders are reaching big numbers
- Flying car startup, Alef, has received 2,850 preorders of its futuristic eVOTL
- The Model A, which is priced at $300,000, can be preordered online with a $150 refundable deposit
- Alef is backed by the likes of early Tesla investor, Tim Draper, and Elon Musk’s space exploration firm, SpaceX
Published on Mar 04, 2024 at 4:50 PM (UTC+4)
by Adam Gray
Last updated on Mar 04, 2024 at 9:34 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
A flying car startup backed by SpaceX says preorders for its futuristic eVOTL have hit a fresh record.
Alef Aeronuatics previously stated that it’d reached 2,500 preorders for its two-seater flying car, the Alef Model A.
Now the firm – based in San Mateo, California – has announced that number has increased further, to 2,850 preorders.
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Preorders for the Model A can be made online with only a $150 deposit to be put down.
What’s more, customers can pull the deposit any time should they wish to, so they’re not locked in.
Apparently, the flying car startup is planning on charging $300,000 for the Model A when it becomes available.
So, based on that figure and the fact the firm’s already received 2,850 preorders, that would give it a combined order value of more than $850 million to date.
“As of today we have a little bit more than 2,850 preorders with deposits down, which makes it the best-selling aircraft in history, more than Boeing, Airbus, Joby Aviation, and most of the eVTOLs combined,” Alef’s CEO Jim Dukhovny told CNBC.
Despite carrying a $300,000 price tag, Dukhovny insists it’s needed as Alef is a startup and isn’t making any serious money yet.
It’s worth bearing in mind Alef is backed by the likes of early Tesla investor, Tim Draper, and Elon Musk’s space exploration firm, SpaceX.
What’re more, the Model A isn’t the only vehicle Alef has in the pipeline.
Apparently, it’s separately working on a four-person sedan, the Model Z, which is scheduled for launch by 2035.
That particular vehicle is priced much lower at $35,000, matching the cost of cheaper-priced EVs.
But back to its flying car, Alef is one of several startups attempting to make flying cars a reality.
We’ve already seen the Xpeng X2, which recently made its first cross-river flight.
Then there’s the colossal 40-passenger flying taxi bus that would transport people 331 miles in one hour.
The world of flying cars is still in its infancy, but if what we’ve seen so far is anything to go by, the future is bright.
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Adam Gray is an experienced freelance motoring journalist and content creator based in the United Kingdom. Using his media accreditation with manufacturers’ press offices, Adam test drives the latest cars and attends new vehicle press launches, producing written reviews and news pieces for a variety of lifestyle and business publications. Here at Supercar Blondie, Adam applies his journalistic skills penning social-first content around current news and trends. When he’s not behind the wheel of the latest car or writing up another viral story, Adam can be found at his local rink playing ice hockey or at the Riverside Stadium supporting his beloved Middlesbrough FC.
