World’s first flying electric car headed for US dealerships as it racks up $750M in pre-orders
Walking into a dealership and picking out a flying electric car might seem like something taken out of a sci-fi script, but it’s getting closer to becoming a reality. After its flying electric car became the first of its kind to receive legal approval to take flight in the US, Alef Aeronautics has now secured pre-orders to sell modern aircraft through a car dealership – another first.
First flying electric car headed to US dealerships
Since 2015, Alef Aeronautics has been looking to do the impossible. To push the boundaries of sustainable travel and develop an actual drivable car with vertical takeoff (eVTOL) abilities. Plus, it has to be (relatively) affordable.
After showing a scaled prototype and proprietary electric propulsion tech, Tim Draper, a venture capitalist best known for his early Tesla investment, became the pioneering investor with $3 million in seed money to kick-start the program.
Over the years, the company has continued to develop the model, unveiling the first 100% electric flying car, “Model A,” on October 19, 2022.
According to Alef, its flying car can drive 200 miles and can fly 110 miles. Last month, Alef’s “Model A” broke the internet, being the first electric flying car to receive a Special Airworthiness Certification from the US Federal Aviation Administration.
Model A production is slated to begin in the fourth quarter of 2025, with deliveries following shortly after.
Although the Model A isn’t due out for at least another two years, people are already lining up for their chance to get one.
Alef announced Tuesday that pre-orders for its first flying electric car had reached 2,500, up from 400 at the end of the year, representing $750,000 in revenue once delivered.
The company began pre-orders for the $300,000 Model A in October, with the option to put down $150 for the regular queue or $1,500 for priority.
The orders include 2,100 deposits from individuals and agreements with businesses to sell 400 cars, including with a California car dealership. Alef is now the first in history with pre-orders to sell a modern aircraft through a car dealership.
Alef’s CEO, Jim Dukhovny, commented on the milestone, saying:
We’re excited to see such strong initial demand for the Alef flying car. We’re are thankful for 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.
The Model A is designed to carry one or two passengers who can drive on public roads with included vertical takeoff and landing capabilities.
After the Model A, Alef is already planning to launch a four-person sedan called “Model Z,” due out in 2035. The company claims it will feature over 300 miles of flying range with the ability to drive 220 miles, starting at $35,000.
Electric flying cars are beginning to pop up all over, with several companies finalizing prototype developments. Chinese EV maker XPeng’s Aero HT was the first crewed eVTOL to receive a flight permit in China earlier this year.
Meanwhile, on the other US coast, Doroni Aerospace became one of the first to successfully test pilot a two-seater eVTOL in the US. You can watch the video here.
Image credit: Alef Aeronautics
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JackRabbit, the maker of pint-sized electric microbikes, is back with a new product designed to quickly recharge their batteries from pure, uncut photons mainlined into an e-bike directly from the sun. In true independent charging form, the Solar Charging Kit from JackRabbit keeps riders rolling even when there’s not a convenient AC outlet in sight.
Unveiled this week, the Solar Charging Kit consists of a single folding solar panel and a tiny voltage converter that is configured to output 42.0V, which is the exact voltage required by JackRabbit’s little e-bike batteries. There’s also an added USB-A and a USB-C charging port for powering other devices in addition to charging JackRabbit batteries.
“This Solar Charging Kit plugs directly into your bike,” explained the company, “letting you recharge without needing an outlet, but with a speed comparable to the charger that comes with the OG/OG2 (42V, 2A).”
That would mean the panel outputs around 80W of solar power, which the company says can recharge its batteries in just three hours. That fairly quick recharging speed is helped by the fact that JackRabbit’s batteries are a mere 151 Wh, or around a third of the size of most e-bike batteries.
If that sounds small, then you’re right – it is. But JackRabbit is all about going micro, offering barely 25 lb rideables that are easy to store and bring on adventures, even when they aren’t actually being ridden.
With small batteries that fit under the 160Wh limit for many airlines in the US, the batteries can be quickly charged and taken to the widest number of locations. And for riders that want to go further than a single 10-mile (16-km) battery will allow, extra batteries are small enough to fit a pants pocket. The company also offers much larger Rangebuster batteries, though they won’t pass by TSA and make it onto an airplane in your personal item.
It sounds like the Solar Chargking Kit should be able to charge up JackRabbit’s large RangeBuster batteries, though likely in more than three hours.
The $349 Solar Charging Kit is a bit pricier than building something similar yourself, but it’s also safer and more convenient than hacking together your own battery charger since it’s designed to work with JackRabbit’s batteries right out of the box.
Technically it’s only inteded for JackRabbit’s micro e-bikes (themselves technically seated scooters, even if they look and feel more like a typical bike), but it’d probably work for just about any 36V e-bike that requires 42.0V to charge.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen solar charging kits for electric bikes, and it’s a trend that is certainly appreciated by outdoors and camping enthusiasts, festival goers, or anyone who finds themself and their bike spending extended periods in the great, sunny outdoors.
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Solar generated 11% of EU electricity in 2024, overtaking coal which fell below 10% for the first time, according to the European Electricity Review published today by think tank Ember.
EU gas generation declined for the fifth year in a row, and total fossil generation fell to a historic low.
“Fossil fuels are losing their grip on EU energy,” said Dr Chris Rosslowe, senior analyst and lead author of the report. “At the start of the European Green Deal in 2019, few thought the EU’s energy transition could be where it is today; wind and solar are pushing coal to the margins and forcing gas into structural decline.”
The European Electricity Review published today by global energy think tank Ember provides the first comprehensive overview of the EU power system in 2024. It analyzes full-year electricity generation and demand data for 2024 in all EU-27 countries to understand the region’s progress in transitioning from fossil fuels to clean electricity.
Wind and solar continue their meteoric rise in the EU
The EU power sector is undergoing a deep transformation spurred on by the European Green Deal. Solar generation (11%) overtook coal (10%) for the first time in 2024, as wind (17%) generated more electricity than gas (16%) for the second year in a row.
Strong solar growth, combined with a recovery of hydropower, pushed the share of renewables to nearly half of EU power generation (47%). Fossil fuels generated 29% of the EU’s electricity in 2024. In 2019, before the Green Deal, fossil fuels provided 39% of EU electricity, while renewables provided 34%.
Solar is growing in every EU country and more than half now have either no coal power or a share below 5% in their power mix. Coal has fallen from being the EU’s third-largest power source in 2019 to the sixth-largest in 2024, bringing the end into sight for the dirtiest fossil fuel. EU gas generation also declined for the fifth year in a row (-6%) despite a very small rebound in power demand (+1%).
The EU is reaping the benefits of reduced fossil fuel dependency
The surge in wind and solar generation has reduced the EU’s reliance on imported fossil fuels and its exposure to volatile prices since the energy crisis. Ember’s analysis found that without new wind and solar capacity added over the last five years, the EU would have imported an additional 92 billion cubic meters of fossil gas and 55 million tonnes of coal, costing €59 billion.
“While the EU’s electricity transition has moved faster than anyone expected in the last five years, further progress cannot be taken for granted,” continued Rosslowe. “Delivery needs to be accelerated particularly in the wind sector, which has faced unique challenges and a widening delivery gap. Between now and 2030, annual wind additions need to more than double compared to 2024 levels. However, the achievements of the past five years should instil confidence that, with continued drive and commitment, challenges can be overcome and a more secure energy future be achieved.”
Walburga Hemetsberger, CEO of SolarPower Europe said: “This milestone is about more than just climate action; it is a cornerstone of European energy security and industrial competitiveness. Renewables are steadily pushing fossil fuels to the margins, with solar leading the way. We now need more flexibility to kick-in, making sure the energy system is adapting to new realities: more storage and more smart electrification in heating, transport and industries.”
Read more: China installed a record capacity of solar and wind in 2024 – in numbers
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