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ALEF Aeronautics Model A (concept design)

ALEF Aeronautics Model A two passenger electric VTOL and roadable concept design vehicle. Pictured is Model A mock-up.

 

Model A (concept design)
ALEF Aeronautics
San Mateo, California, USA
www.alef.aero

ALEF Aeronautics was founded in 2015 by Jim Dukhovny, Constantine Kisly, Pavel Markin and Oleg Petrov and is based in San Mateo, California, USA. The company is in the business of designing and developing a road driveable electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) flying car for advanced air mobility (AAM). The four founders were inspired to design and build a flying car from watching the 1985 American science fiction film movie, Back to the Future.

Tim Draper, an early investor in Elon Musk's Tesla, Inc. and SpaceX (Space Exploration Technologies Corp.) whose Draper Associates Fund V has backed Alef with $3 million USD in seed money. Alef emerged from stealth in October 2022 with the unveil of its full-sized sports car model along with two working full-size technology demonstrator vehicles. Subscale prototypes were successfully flown by the company in 2016 and a full size prototype was first flown in 2019.

Model A roadable passenger eVTOL concept design vehicle
The Model A is a roadable two passenger eVTOL concept design vehicle. Pictured above is a full scale mock-up of the Model A. The final Model A production vehicle will drive on the road and fly in the air. The aircraft is planned to be piloted at first and autonomous piloting when it becomes available. The size of the vehicle allows the car to park in a standard parking space and a garage. While the cruise speed in the air is unknown, the cruise speed on the road is 25 mph (40 km/h). The range in the air is 110 miles (117 km) and the range on the road is 200 miles (322 km).

The aircraft has eight propellers and eight electric motors for flight. The top of the aircraft has an open mesh top for protecting people and keeping objects out of the propellers. The bottom of the vehicle is completely open plus its structural elements. When in flight, the vehicle's novel design allows the car body to rotate vertically and perpendicularly to the cockpit. Then one side of the car's body becomes the top wing and the other side becomes the bottom wing. When in forward flight, the aircraft is transformed into a box-wing biplane. The cockpit is gimballed which keeps the passengers stable during all parts of flight.

The aircraft has detect and avoid technology and has redundancy in all of key the components of the aircraft. For additional safety, the Model A also has a whole aircraft emergency ballistic parachute. The company is also open to a hybrid-electric power source using hydrogen fuels to create the electricity for the propellers and road wheels which would extend the flight and surface range of the vehicle.

Alef Aeronautics foresees their eVTOL vehicle has a hop vehicle. For example, the passengers use the vehicle to drive distances where traffic is flowing freely and then when needed (such as a traffic jam occurs), the passengers can fly over a traffic jam or any obstacles when needed. The company predicts there will be limited areas where the aircraft can take off and land.

Limited Special Airworthiness Certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration
On June, 27, 2023, Alef Aeronautics announced the company has received a limited Special Airworthiness Certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration for limited flight testing. The company has stated this marks the first time an eVTOL roadable vehicle has received legal approval to fly from the US Government.

Pre-orders, price and estimated delivery of the Model A
The company also said earlier in 2023, it had taken refundable pre-orders for more than 400 of the two passenger eVTOL vehicles at a cost of $150.00 USD to be in the general queue or $1,500.00 USD for the priority queue. The company expects to sell the Model A for $300,000.00 USD each, with the first delivery projected for the end of 2025.

Price and estimated delivery of the Model Z
ALEF Aeronautics anticipates to produce a four passenger Model Z by 2030 and intends to sell the vehicle for $35,000.00 USD each. The company has stated the Model Z will not be that complex which is why the vehicle will be priced with such an affordable price tag.

Model A parked with headlights on and both doors closed

Model A parked with headlights on and both doors closed

Model A in a parking spot with both doors open

Model A in a parking spot with both doors open

Model A as seen driving on a paved road

Model A as seen driving on a paved road

Model A top view with see-through mesh showing the configuration of the eight propellers

Model A top view with see-through mesh showing the configuration of the eight propellers

Model A flying over a cityscape

Model A flying over a cityscape

Model A in flight over a forest area

Model A in flight over a forest area

 

Specifications:

  • Aircraft type: Road driveable eVTOL passenger concept design vehicle
  • Piloting: 1 pilot (autonomous piloting when it becomes available)
  • Capacity: 1 passenger
  • Cruise speed (air): Unknown
  • Cruise speed (road): 25 mph (40 km/h)
  • Range (air): 110 m (117 km)
  • Range (road): 200 m (322 km)
  • Maximum payload: 200 lb (91 kg)
  • Propellers: 8 propellers
  • Electric motors: 8 electric motors
  • Power source: Batteries
  • Fuselage: Carbon fiber composite
  • Windows: Gimballed rotating cockpit with windows allowing forward, left, right, rear and top visibility
  • Landing gear: 4 automotive wheels
  • Safety features: Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP), provides safety through redundancy for its passengers and/or cargo. DEP means having multiple propellers (or ducted fans) and motors on the aircraft so if one or more propellers (ducted fans) or motors fail, the other working propellers (or ducted fans) and motors can safely land the aircraft. There are also redundancies of critical components in the sub-systems of the aircraft. The aircraft has detect and avoid technology. The aircraft has redundancy in all of key the components of the aircraft. The aircraft has a whole aircraft emergency ballistic parachute.

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