Flying cars are getting closer to reality every day.
One model, backed by a former executive with Tesla and Space X, costs almost $300,000 and has nearly 3,000 pre-orders.
The price point is expected to come down significantly in the coming years. The first unit is expected to debut sometime next year.
Tim Draper, an early investor in Tesla and Space X, also got in early when he invested almost $3 million.
“I put more (money in) when I saw that they had created a small drone prototype that did exactly what they told me it would do,” Draper told Reuters in 2022. “The design is extraordinary. The sides of the car become the wings when the plane goes horizontal.”
Alef Aeronautics, a Silicon Valley-based startup, said that the pre-orders for its Model A total more than $850 million. The model is electric with a vertical takeoff and landing.
You can hold one for a fully refundable deposit of $150. Of course, the balance might be a little pricey.
The Federal Aviation Administration granted the Model A a Special Airworthiness Certification, but it still needs approval from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Routes for flying the unit still have to be determined.
Alef CEO Jim Dukhovny told CNBC that he expects regulatory approval.
“If everything goes right, we plan to start production of the first one by the end of 2025,” Dukhovny said.
What separates this unit from other flying car prototypes is its ability to travel like a vehicle on the highway. Most other prototypes look like oversized drones.
No word from George and Jane Jetson or from their children, Elroy and Judy.
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