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Alef's flying car
Bay Area company Alef says its flying car has vertical takeoff and landing capabilities. Video credit: Alef
SAN MATEO, Calif. - The Bay Area aeronautics company behind what it’s calling "the first true flying car in history" announced Tuesday that it will begin operations out of two airports.
San Mateo-based Alef has struck agreements with Half Moon Bay and Hollister airports, allowing the company to begin operating at those locations alongside other types of aircraft.
"Planned operations include driving, vertical takeoff, forward flight, and vertical landing, as well as air and ground maneuvering," the company said in a news release.
The agreements will also allow Alef to test how its systems integrate with common air traffic patterns, according to the aeronautics company.
Alef describes its vehicle as the first ever to perform as a road-legal passenger car that has vertical takeoff and landing capabilities but does not need a runway.
Milestone
The additions of Half Moon Bay and Hollister airports bring the company’s research and development flight test locations to five, Alef said.
But it's the first time the company will be testing its car at airport locations.
Two Alef offices and a test field serve as the three other sites.
What we don't know:
The locations of those sites have not been revealed by Alef, which said it cannot publicly disclose that information.
The new airport operations are significant milestones for Alef and its mission.
It marks the first time ever that cars and aircraft share the same operational space, as well as being the first time in history that an airport is the grounds for the vertical takeoff of a car, according to the company.
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Flying car testing at Bay Area airports
Alef, a Bay Area aeronautics company, says it built the first true flying car company in history. The company says it will soon begin operations out of two small airports in the region -- Half Moon Bay and Hollister. The vehicle is said to have vertical takeoff and landing capabilities.
‘First and foremost’ a car
The vehicle maker stressed that given the automotive aspects, including its infrastructure and business model, "Alef first and foremost is a car."
The company said its flight into the electric aviation space is what makes the vehicle groundbreaking.
"The novelty is integrating a car into the aviation infrastructure and air traffic," Alef explained.
SEE ALSO: San Jose startup unveils first consumer-focused fully autonomous car
It noted that bringing the next phase of its research and development to these airports was critical in integrating its automotive technology into the skies.
"Working in safe, controlled, non-towered airport environments will help Alef, FAA, airport operators, and pilots see how this will work in the future at scale," the company said.
Officials said that under the agreements, the two airports would prioritize their ongoing operations with traditional aircraft over that of Alef’s.
And looking ahead, the airports could end up serving as future base for Alef's fleet of flying cars, the company noted.
The backstory:
Alef's flying car has been 10 years in the making, according to the company on its website.
"Fictional was: Marty McFly, a character from ‘Back To The Future’, traveled to the ‘future’ of October 2015. Real was: 4 founders decided to form a company to build a real flying car," the company shared.
And in non-fictional 2015, that’s when four friends, Constantine Kisly, Pavel Markin, Oleg Petrov, and Jim Dukhovny decided to meet at a café in Palo Alto to bring fiction to life, with the initial concept of their flying car sketched out on a napkin.
Dig deeper:
Alef said that in the short term, the goal is to develop its first consumer product, the Alef Model A.
The vehicle falls under the "ultralight" classification, so as of present day, no certification is required to legally fly the cars, the company explained to KTVU.
However, Alef noted, the classification does come with limitations for operators. Those include being restricted to flying only during daylight. Ultralight vehicles are also prohibited from going over congested or densely populated areas like cities or towns.
Cost of Alef's flying car
The vehicle has a price tag of about $300,000. Alef explained that with the first productions, manufacturing costs are significant due to the "hand-made in-house level."
But once the vehicles hit high volume and mass production gets underway, the company said consumers can expect the prices to plummet to costs even cheaper than the price of popular compact cars.
Among its other features, the cars are 100% electric, with a driving range of 200 miles and a flight range of 110 miles.
"On average, the Alef flying car uses less energy per trip than a Tesla or any other EV," the company said in a press release.
Alef also promoted the car's ability to circumvent roadblocks.
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Bay Area flying car company starts operations at 2 airports
Computer-generated video from Alef shows its flying car can "hop over" roadway obstacles. Courtesy: Alef
The company shared a conceptual computer-generated video of one of its cars coming up on a traffic jam due to an overturned big rig. The car uses its vertical lift-off feature to "hop over" the truck.
Beyond the cutting-edge, futuristic aspect of Alef’s flying car, the company touted the new technology as one with many benefits.
"Electric aviation is more environmentally friendly, quieter, and requires less space," said Dukhovny, CEO of Alef.
Jim Dukhovny, CEO of Alef, near the flying car during a test flight. (Alef)
What's next:
The company is preparing to make its flying cars available to the public in the coming months.
Alef said it is on schedule to start production of its first commercial cars by the end of 2025 or beginning of 2026.
Handout photo of Alef in transition flight. (Alef)