Alef Begins Production Of World's First Flying Car
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Flying cars have long captured the imagination of engineers and dreamers alike. In 1894, American-British inventor Hiram Maxim brought the idea closer to reality with sketches for a four-wheeled, bird-like vehicle capable of flight. His vision later inspired an amusement park ride. But it was not what he had hoped for. Now, Maxim's dream is finally becoming a reality thanks to California-based startup Alef Aeronautics.
The company’s founders — Jim Dukhovny, Constantine Kisly, Pavel Markin, and Oleg Petrov — first came up with the concept in 2015. Inspired by the 1985 hit movie, Back to the Future, they sketched their ideas on a napkin. From the start, they set clear goals. The vehicle had to be roadworthy, fully electric, and capable of vertical takeoff.
Within a year, the team built a scaled-down version of the car. It was enough to impress investors. Since then, Alef has created two main designs: the flagship Model A and the high-performance Model Z, which is still in development.
On December 9, 2025, Alef began production of its first Model A units at its San Mateo, California, facility. These initial cars are being hand‑built using ultra‑light materials like carbon fiber. They will take several months to complete. Equipped with multiple electric motors and propellers, the car will take off vertically without a runway. Once airborne, it will tilt so the car's body is at a 90-degree angle. This allows the sides to act as wings while the cockpit stays upright.
On roads, the car will be able to travel about 200 miles (321 km), at a top speed of 25 mph (40 km/h). In the air, it will fly roughly 110 miles (177 km) on a single charge, reaching speeds of up to 110 mph (177 km/h).
Once ready, the vehicles will be delivered to a select group of customers for testing and feedback. Even if everything goes according to plan, do not expect to see Alef cars in the skies anytime soon. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has only approved them for demonstration and research flights. Alef still needs to obtain full safety certification for public roads and standard air travel.
But that has not stopped people from lining up. Over 3,500 have already pre-ordered the vehicle at $300,000 each!
Resources: Alef. aero, CNN.com, Designboom.com, mashable.com
