Santa Clara, CA-based startup Alef Aeronautics has introduced its Model A prototype, which it says is the only flying car with street driving and vertical take-off. The flying car fits within the existing urban infrastructure for driving and parking. The company plans to begin production and initiate the first deliveries in Q4 of 2025. The first Alef flying car is available for pre-sale to consumers beginning today for $300,000, with a $150 regular queue or a $1500 priority queue deposit.

Alef was founded in 2015 as Armada Aeronautics by the team of Konstantin Kisly, Pavel Markin, Oleg Petrov, and Jim Dukhovny began work on the flying car first drawn on a napkin in a cafe. In 2016, the first sub-scale prototype was built. This scaled version, together with its full-size propulsion system, was demonstrated to Tim Draper, founder of venture-capital firm Draper Associates (and one of the first venture capitalists to invest in Tesla), who became a pioneering investor, mentor, and inspiration to the team. Along the way, the company earned support from other high-profile people like the former head of DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) and Ford Aerospace, Dr. Anthony Tether—and former NBA star Luis Scola.

After that, development accelerated. In 2018, the first full-size “skeleton” was flown, confirming that calculations and subscale research were correct. In 2019, after four years of R&D, a full-size prototype was flown. Shortly after that, the vehicle was converted for autonomous flight for the safe continuation of testing, and the first semi-public demo of a real full-size flying car was shown to a group of investors.

The company’s leadership team recruited former Lynk & Co, Bugatti, Lotus, Hyundai, Volvo Trucks, and Jaguar designer, Hirash Razaghi, in 2021. His mandate was to define the modern, sporty exterior design of the company’s consumer vehicle. In 2022, the company officially rebranded as Alef—as in the first letter of a Phoenician, Aramaic, Hebrew, Arabic, Persian, Syrian, and other alphabets—signifying the leading position the company wants to eventually occupy in the hearts, minds, and garages of the public.

The company’s mission is to design and develop a road-legal passenger car capable of achieving vertical takeoff and forward flight. Its goal is to enable faster, easier commutes and alleviate the burden of urban congestion through the use of proprietary technology that elevates the vehicle safely and quietly above everyday traffic.

“The Alef Model is a modern solution for both urban and rural transportation needs in the 21st Century because it is the fastest and most convenient transport ever created from the point of origin to the final destination,” said CEO Dukhovny. “By enabling consumers to choose driving or flying mode, the Alef flying car allows the optimal path depending on road conditions, weather, and infrastructure.”

The Model A was developed using the latest hardware and software technology advances, ultra-light and ultra-strong components, software simulators and analysis, and rigorous flight testing. It has a driving range of 200 mi (322 km) and a flight range of 110 mi (177 km).

Key features are a DEP (distributed electric propulsion) system, extensive software flight stabilization and safety system, elevon stabilization system, and all-wheel driving. The gimbaled cabin and elevon system are engineered to provide a smooth ride and flight, keeping occupants stable. There are no exposed propellers for added safety, damping the sound, and saving space.

Other key safety components include triple to octuple redundancy of all key components, real-time thousand-point diagnostics, pre-flight reject start diagnostics, obstacle detection, and avoidance, glide landing, and full-vehicle ballistic parachute.

With additional models in development, Alef is working towards the four-person sedan called Model Z scheduled for introduction in 2035 priced at $35,000. Plans call for it to be capable of flying 200 mi with a driving range of 400 mi (644 km).