United States Approves Flying Car Concept

It’s time to go back to the future — the United States recently approved a flying car concept for use on U.S. roads.

Interestingly enough, Slovakia was first in the flying car game as far back as a year and a half ago. Their “AirCar” was approved by Slovakian governmental authorities to officially hit the road. They also follow European Aviation Safety Agency guidelines, giving the company a massive leg up in the continent. While you need a pilot’s license to operate the vehicle, it expands when launched into the air and then turns back into a normal car once it reaches the ground. Think of these new-found machines as Transformers, in a way.

Now, the U.S. is following suit with their “ModelA” AirCar. The Ford Model A was really the first popular car, so the name is fitting as this brand new mode of transportation is introduced to American consumers. They’ll be able to fly up to 110 miles before needing to land, with 200 miles of direct road allowance. The price tag will be a whopping $300,000, with the first car available for sale by the end of 2025.

It should be noted that sales itself have yet to be greenlighted. The Federal Aviation Administration just approved its exhibition, research and development. But expect the actual sale approval to be just a formality. The vehicle, unsurprisingly, will be all electric.

Jim Dukhovny, CEO of Alef, the AirCar maker, seemed bullish about his vehicle’s impact on the American future. “We’re excited to receive this certification from the FAA. It allows us to move closer to bringing people an environmentally friendly and faster commute, saving individuals and companies hours each week. This is a one small step for planes, one giant step for cars,” he said.

Here’s one snag. For safety purposes, the car will only be able to go up to 25 miles an hour while on the road. “The assumption is that, if a driver needs a faster route, a driver will use Alef’s flight capabilities,” Dukhovny confirmed.

Will this flying car truly take off? 400 pre-orders have already been filed, and this is all before getting sale approval from the federal government, so everything seems to be ready for takeoff.