Alef Aeronautics’ Latest Announcement Provides Insight Into The Future Of The eVTOL Industry!

Among the various technologically advanced products on show at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2024 held in Barcelona, Spain, was Alef Aeronautics' Model A, which is an eVTOL (Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft) or in simple words, a flying car.  

While the California-based (San Mateo) company didn’t exactly present a life-size model of its concept car but did have a half-size model on display at the annual trade show, it did offer a great deal of promise in the announcements it made.  

So, what did Alef announce? Let’s explore! 
 

What Did Alef Announce?

• While the company didn’t present a real-life model of its flying car, Alef Aeronautics revealed that it racked up 2,850 preorders for its futuristic eVTOL or flying car. 

• As per the company’s website, the expected cost per vehicle is set at $300,000 or ($299,999 to be exact), meaning that for 2,850 preorders, Alef would earn $855 million once orders are ready to be delivered. 

• In July 2023, the company had announced it had reached 2,500 preorders, which consisted of 2,100 orders from individuals and 400 from B2B agreements, taking the expected income on completion to $750 million.

• Customers looking to preorder Alef’s flying car can do so by accessing the company’s website for its preorder page and selecting between the General Queue (for $150) or the Priority Queue (for $1,500). Customers reserve the right to cancel their preorder request at any time, avoiding any lock-ins.

• Speaking on the same, Alef’s CEO, Jim Dukhovny, said, “As of today we have a little bit more than 2,850 preorders with deposits down, which makes it the bestselling aircraft in history, more than Boeing, Airbus, Joby Aviation and most of the eVTOLs [electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles] combined.”
   

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What Does Alef Aeronautics’ Model A Offer?

• Backed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, early Tesla investor Tim Draper and others, Alef calls itself the “first flying car in history”, based on how it resembles a traditional car more than other eVTOLs do.

• Alef’s competitors offer flying vehicles with drone-like designs that use wings or rotors, whereas Alef uses a mesh shell with its rotors hidden within the shell.

• Dukhovny said, “I know that people have claimed the first flying car ... But we always had the idea that it has to be a car, a physical car, a regular car, as you can see it’s an eVTOL, an electric car. a regular car, drive, park, look, everything as a car, and a vertical takeoff.” 

• Primarily meant to be driven on the road, Alef’s car uses four small engines on each wheel and offers speeds of up to 25-35 mph while driving and 110 mph while in the air.

• As per the company’s website, “The assumption is that, if a driver needs a faster route, a driver will use Alef’s flight capabilities.”

• The car turns sideways while the cockpit swivels, allowing the driver to be facing forward and can move in any direction when flying (forward, backward, right, left, up, down or at an angle).  

• The car "offers the ability to bypass the problematic areas on the ground, by flying over them. It offers a cinematic 180 degree plus view for safe and enjoyable flight.”
   

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When Can Customers Expect The Futuristic Flying Car? 

• Weighing 850 pounds, Alef’s Model A qualifies as an ultralight vehicle, which makes the company’s CEO believe it will be easier to get regulatory approvals to launch in 2025.

• Dukhovny said, “If everything goes right, we plan to, and if we have enough funding, if the law is at least not going to be worse, it’s going to be existing as it is, we plan to start production of the first one by the end of 2025.”

• Dukhovny further clarified that the company wouldn’t be able to supply the preorder demand immediately, saying, “It’s crazy how to produce 2,850 vehicles ... We’re going to start slow. And when people think that’s a million of those that are going to fly over San Francisco or Barcelona, that’s not going to happen. It’s going to be very slow — one, and then more, and then more.” 

Other than its Model A, Alef is working on other models aimed at matching the price of cheaper electric vehicles (EVs).  

Do you think the rise in demand for Alef’s flying car will bloom even further? Do you think Alef’s design gives it an edge over its competitors? 

Let us know in he comments below!