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Alef's Flying Car Soars Over Tesla Roadster in 1,000th Test Flight

gizmodo.com — October 16, 2026 at 06:01 PM UTC

Flying car startup Alef Aeronautics released a video Thursday showing its electric vehicle soaring over a Tesla Roadster, marking its 1,000th test flight, in a direct response to Tesla's own aerial stunt demonstration. Alef CEO Jim Dukhovny welcomed Tesla to the "flying car race," noting his company's eleven-year head start and framing the competition as validation for the market. While both vehicles are fully electric and can leave the ground, they use different methods: Tesla's Roadster employs cold-gas thrusters for brief hops, whereas Alef's Model A uses distributed electric propulsion for vertical takeoff and forward flight. Founded in 2015, Alef received FAA certification in 2023 and claims over 3,600 preorders for its $299,999 Model A, with first deliveries planned for controlled testing by late 2026. Tesla's Roadster is slated for 2028 production, though the timeline remains uncertain given CEO Elon Musk's history of delays.

With a significance score of 2.4, this news ranks in the top 17% of today's 29613 analyzed articles.

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