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Silicon Valley startup Alef Aeronautics announced that it landed a $105 million pre-order for 350 of its flying cars. The San Mateo, California, company said it is the largest order for flying cars with driving and vertical take-off capabilities in history.
The order came from an undisclosed company based in Hong Kong that aspires to become a leading tech-forward company in aviation. About six weeks after Alef opened pre-orders for the new Model A on its website, the company said it received a “significant” amount of pre-orders. However, the company didn’t provide additional figures.
The company introduced the Alef “Model A” in October, starting at $300,000. The Model A is a flying car that can drive on the street and take off vertically. Unlike previous flying car designs, the Model A was created to fit within existing driving and parking infrastructure.
Hong Kong is a prime candidate for flying cars, as the city is densely populated with historic traffic congestion. According to Alef CEO Jim Dukhovny, the company has similar deals in the works in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and South America.
The Model A is a fully electric vehicle (EV) that can seat up to two people. The craft is unique in that the propellers aren’t exposed. It also features a distributed electric propulsion system capable of driving 200 miles and flying 110 miles per charge.
Alef is scheduled to begin production and initial deliveries in Q4 of 2025.
Image Credit: Alef Aeronautics
