Alef reports 2,500 pre-orders for flying car

Alef's CEO Jim Dukhovny said a partnership with a Silicon Valley car dealership is a first of its kind for flying cars.

Alef Aeronautics has announced it has received 2,500 pre-orders for its flying car.

The orders, made up of 2,100 deposits from individuals and 400 vehicle pre-orders from business agreements, could generate up to $750m in revenue once delivered. They also include a deal to sell Alef’s aircraft through a Californian car dealership — believed to be the first of its kind, said the OEM.

“I am really grateful for this,” Jim Dukhovny, founder and CEO, Alef told Revolution.Aero. “But in order to compete with automotive companies we need more.”

“The Alef team and I are also thankful for all the notes of gratitude and inspiration we received with some of the pre-orders. We still have a road to go before starting deliveries, but where we’re going, we don’t need roads,” he added.

Alef is offering deposits in two forms based on “desired expediency” of delivery: general ($150) and priority ($1,500). According to Dukhovny, about 30% (between 630 and 750 orders) are priority line. The deposits are proof of market demand, said the OEM. Whilst also giving it insights into future market demographics and a breakdown of the initial flying car customer base.

Although little detail about the agreement with the car dealership can be revealed yet,  it is with a “regular California car dealership” in Silicon Valley, said Dukhovny. “We both saw a great value in this relation: the experience and details of a car transaction and maintenance, and solving our supply and demand issue,” he explained.

After emerging from stealth and opening the pre-order book in October last year, Alef has been progressing through test campaigns of its prototype aircraft — known as Armada Model Zero. In June, the FAA awarded a special airworthiness certificate to Alef, allowing it to use the aircraft for limited purposes, including exhibition, research and development.

“We’re still welcoming pre-orders and are presently closing our current fundraising round,” said Dukhonvy. 

“I would also like to take a moment to thank my co-founders Constantine Kisly, Pavel Markin, Oleg Petrov, as they are the brains behind the car. And again, I personally always thank my father, who was born a leader, inventor and hopefully taught me that,” he added.