As far back as I can remember, movies have always portrayed the future to be a civilisation where flying cars are the norm. It turns out we may just be living in the ‘future’, as videos have surfaced online showing a car flying over parked vehicles.
Alef Aeronautics, a US start-up is credited for what they claim is the world’s first flying car. Although there have been earlier concepts developed by companies like Airbus as far back as 2017. They were behind the released video of a car flying over cars on a public road in California. Thus marking the first real-world test of the design concept. The flying car in question is the Model Zero prototype. It is a blacked-out sedan with a long hood and boot encompassing an oval cockpit that can probably only fit one. Jim Dukhovny, the chief executive of Alef Aeronautics had this to say, ‘This drive and flight test represents an important proof of technology in a real-world city environment’.
What Does the Model Zero Prototype Look Like?
Many ‘flying car’ concepts so far make use of a quadcopter drone design or something similar. It usually entails external rotor blades which make them look like helicopters, rather than actual cars. More so, other concepts have adopted fold-down wings, which require a lot of space to take off. However, the Alef Model Zero has a more conventional automotive design. The company’s website states, ‘Designed to drive on the street, take off vertically when needed and fly overhead above traffic, we’re building the solution to the issues of modern congestion.’ It has a more conventional vehicle look because the rotor blades are hidden within the chassis of the car.
So far, Alef Aeronautics has already secured more than 3,300 pre-orders for its Model A vehicle. Production is also expected to begin later this year. A manufacturing agreement to fulfil these orders has already been reached with PUCARA Aero and MYC. It is a joint venture that has produced aviation-grade parts for Airbus and Boeing. The proposed price for the Alef’s Model A starts at around 300,000 USD (approximately 450 million naira), though a second flying car dubbed the Model Z is expected to cost around 35,000 USD (approximately 52 million naira).
Overall, Alef Aeronautics has the most practicable flying car concept so far. It also looks like what futuristic movies portray as flying cars. I guess we can say kudos to them for bringing the future to the present. However, what we have is merely a concept. We can only wait to see if the actual production will live up to the hype. What are your thoughts on the Model Zero flying car?
