The Space-X Backed Flying Car: How Much Will It Cost?

Elon Musk’s Space-X company has funded a smaller tech company called Alef Aeronautics based in San Mateo, California. Alef Aeronautics has started taking preorders for what they call an eVTOL, otherwise known as a flying car.

Between Tesla and Space-X, Musk is surely vying to be at the top of the tech world.

Alef Aeronautics say that they have already received 2,850 preorders for their first eVTOL, which will have two seats.

The Space-X Backed Flying Car Will Cost $300,000

At $300,000 a piece, Alef plans to rake in a reported $855 Million on the project. There is also a model slated for release by 2025 that will reportedly cost $35,000.

It is projected that the vehicle will be able to travel about 110 miles per hour in the air, but only 25 and 35 miles per hour on the ground, making it an extremely slow land vehicle. It is speculated that the components required to make the vehicle drive faster on land would weigh the craft down, not allowing for it to take flight.

In July of 2023, Alef received the necessary Special Airworthiness Certificate to continue production of their flying vehicle, which is expected to be available to those who submitted preorders in the coming years.

Apparently, Alef also has competition. Oilprice reports on competing eVTOL companies,

However, several companies are hot on Alef’s tail, hoping to rapidly develop their own flying car technology for commercial release. The eVTOL producer Joby Aviation is constructing a manufacturing plant at Dayton International Airport in Ohio. The company hopes to begin producing up to 500 aircraft a year at Dayton, starting in 2025. Joby is focused on the flying taxi market, designing the tiltrotor eVTOL to carry a pilot and four passengers at speeds of 200 mph. The company has already announced a partnership with Delta Airlines and expects to launch in cities such as New York and Los Angeles by as early as 2025. 

The German start-up Lilium is developing an eVTOL to serve as an air taxi for up to five people, with a range of around 300 km and a top speed of 300 Kmh. In December, Lilium signed a memorandum of understanding with the air carrier Lufthansa to explore a strategic partnership on eVTOL aircraft operation in Europe. The two companies plan to explore ground and flight operations, future aircraft maintenance, as well as crewing and flight training. 

Klaus Roewe, the CEO of Lilium, stated, “We are delighted that the Lufthansa Group has decided to cooperate with us to jointly advance in the future of flying. The Lufthansa Group has been at the forefront of some of Europe’s most important aviation initiatives, especially in the area of environmental sustainability. We are thrilled to explore opportunities on bringing eVTOL flights to Lufthansa Group customers.”

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