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Flying cars are not just fodder for science fiction anymore. They exist, at least in prototype form, and a San Mateo-based company is looking to use the Hollister Municipal Airport to test its design.
According to a presentation by Alef Aeronautics CEO Yevgeniy (Jim) Dukhovny to the Hollister Airport Advisory Commission on Aug. 13, the startup company is developing a 100% electric flying car that is capable of driving on the street and taking off vertically in order to fly over traffic or other obstacles.
The commission directed staff to prepare a use agreement for a one-month trial and present it to the Hollister City Council for consideration.
Airport Director Jeff Crechriou said he aims to present the agreement to the council in September.
If approved, Alef would join Wisk Aero, which is developing its sixth-generation autonomous taxi, at the airport.
According to Global Market Insights, the global advanced air mobility industry market in 2024 was $11.5 billion worldwide, and is expected to grow to $73.5 billion by 2034.
According to a commission report, Alef has been testing its scale-models since 2015 and full-size models since 2020.
Alef proposes the tests that consist of a drive, a takeoff of up to 50 feet, and a forward flight of less than 200 feet. Each test would last just over two minutes.
Testing is expected to occur on average once every two weeks.
The commission report indicated the car is expected to reach speeds of less than 15 knots (about 17 mph) in rotorcraft mode, where it uses rotor blades to take off, and less than 75 knots (about 86 mph) in biplane mode, when it uses the hood and trunk as wings.
Dukhovny told BenitoLink that Alef has several models it wants to test at the airport.
According to documents in the commission’s agenda packet, the Model A car has a 110-mile flight range, a 200-mile drive range and can carry two occupants. Model Zero has a six-mile vertical flight range, a 15-mile horizontal flight range and a 50-mile drive range.
Alef wants to eventually test its cars in biplane mode, where the car rotates 90 degrees, or sideways, and the trunk and hood become its wings.
Dukhovny said the primary focus of the advanced air mobility industry is safety.
“The car is already [capable of] driving and flying, and it does it safer,” he said. “What we are trying to do is push it to the limit. We’re trying to make sure we release something that is safer than airplanes and helicopters.”
Dukhovny said Alef is currently seeking investors and that vehicles can reach the marketplace one to 2 years after funding is secured.
He said Alef currently has almost 3,500 pre orders for the flying car, which is priced at $300,000. Dukhovny said that “many, many, many years from now,” when the volume of manufacturing airborne cars matches the volume of regular cars, he expects the price to drop below $30,000.
“This is because we’re a small startup and this price is because it’s the cost of making it by hand in Silicon Valley,” he said. “This is as expensive as you can possibly get.”
Dukhovny said Alef identified Hollister’s airport as friendly toward the advanced air mobility industry. He added that the cars’ likely rollout will begin in rural areas because current legislation doesn’t allow flying over highly populated areas.
He said when he drove to Hollister he got stuck in traffic.
“That’s the whole point of the flying car, you’re not getting stuck at the bottleneck,” he said. “Your commute does not depend on traffic.”
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