Pre-order Your Flying Car

Imagine you're living in a world where flying cars are no longer a sci-fi fantasy, but an impending reality. Well, that's exactly what's happening at Alef Aeronautics Inc., a bright-eyed startup from San Mateo.

These flying car aficionados have managed to snag a permit from the Federal Aviation Administration to start testing their very own roadster of the skies – the Model A. And get this, it's the first-ever vehicle designed to cruise the asphalt and the air that's been given this big thumbs-up.

Just like a regular four-wheeler, the Model A rolls around on streets with the best of them, but under its mesh-like skin lies a rotor system that allows it to take off and land vertically, just like a helicopter. Imagine hovering over a gridlock during rush hour while your ground-bound peers gaze upward in envy.

According to Alef's CEO, Jim Dukhovny, this FAA permit nudges them a step closer to redefining commuting – making it greener, faster, and way cooler. As he put it, "This is one small step for planes, one giant step for cars."

However, don't expect to see Model A's zipping past your car on the highway anytime soon. The FAA, the parent in this situation, has restricted Alef's airtime to just research and exhibition purposes. This electric-powered flying wonder, capable of a 110-mile air journey or a 200-mile road trip on a single charge, is classified as a low-speed vehicle, so don't expect it to go over 25 mph on roads. For speed, you'll need to look to the skies.

The Model A, a snug one-to-two-seater with a futuristic bubble-like cabin, is projected to have a price tag of $300,000. You can pre-order your very own for a deposit of $150 for the general queue, or $1,500 to secure a priority slot.

This quirky project was born out of a love for the flying car in "Back To The Future," and since 2015, Alef Aeronautics has been tirelessly turning fiction into reality, raising around $14 million in venture funding in the process.

Even though Model A is the first of its kind to secure an FAA flight test permit, it's not the only bird in the sky. Joby, the world leader in the eVTOL field, recently secured a permit from the FAA for its air taxi vehicle. The catch? The Joby craft provides service at the level any Uber or Lyft rider can afford.