What is the flying car called?

[MadelineRose]

The term “flying car” commonly refers to roadable aircraft or eVTOL (electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) vehicles, with prominent models including the Alef Model A, Samson Switchblade, and Aska A5. These are not a single product but a class of personal air vehicles in development, each with unique branding and technical approaches to combining driving and flying.

These vehicles are broadly categorized by their operational method. The most discussed are eVTOLs, which take off and land like helicopters. The Aska A5 is a leading example—a four-seat, hybrid-electric SUV-sized vehicle that uses six propellers for vertical flight and is one of the few to have received FAA Special Airworthiness Certification. Similarly, the Xpeng AeroHT is a Chinese EV with a detachable, foldable octacopter module on its roof. Another category is “roadable aircraft,” which require a runway. The Samson Switchblade is a three-wheeled vehicle that drives to an airport, unfolds its wings, and can fly at speeds up to 200 mph. The AeroMobil is a luxury hybrid model that transforms from car to plane in under three minutes.

A unique approach is embodied by the Alef Model A. It is designed as a fully street-legal car that can park in a standard garage. For flight, its entire cabin is a gimbaled pod that rotates, while the mesh body allows for vertical lift. This distinguishes it from models requiring airport infrastructure.

Beyond these, the market includes personal aerial vehicles for recreation, like the Opener BlackFly, a lightweight, single-seat eVTOL aimed at hobbyists. Companies like SkyDrive in Japan are also developing compact eVTOLs with the goal of normalizing urban air mobility.

Key specifications and status of leading models are summarized below:

Model	Developer	Type	Key Feature	Status (as of 2024)
Alef Model A	Alef Aeronautics	eVTOL / Car	Street-legal, vertical takeoff from any location	FAA testing approval; pre-orders for 2025 delivery
Samson Switchblade	Samson Sky	Roadable Aircraft	Folds wings for driving; 200 mph flight speed	Final testing phase; aiming for production
Aska A5	Aska (NFT)	eVTOL / SUV	Four-seater, hybrid-electric, driveable	FAA Special Airworthiness Certificate; pre-orders open
AeroMobil	AeroMobil	Roadable Aircraft	Luxury hybrid transformation in < 3 minutes	Advanced prototype stage
Xpeng AeroHT	Xpeng (Xiaopeng Motors)	eVTOL Module	Detachable flying module on an electric car	Prototype demonstrated; in development

It is crucial to understand that despite rapid progress, no flying car is currently available for public purchase as a certified, mass-produced product. Development timelines are aggressive, with several companies targeting certification and initial deliveries between 2025 and 2027. The primary challenges remain rigorous safety certification from aviation authorities like the FAA and EASA, establishing air traffic management systems, and achieving viable production costs.

Public interest is high, with companies like Alef reporting over 2,500 pre-orders for the Model A. The evolution from concept to reality depends on simultaneous advancements in battery technology, composite materials, and autonomous flight systems. The naming convention is simply the model name given by each developer, with “flying car” serving as the overarching colloquial term for this transformative mobility category.

[LaJocelyn]

As someone who follows aviation tech, I get asked this all the time. People hear “flying car” and think of one thing, but it’s really several. The one I’m most excited about is the Aska A5. It looks like a sleek SUV and drives on the road, but when you’re ready to fly, six propellers pop out for vertical lift.

What makes it real is that it’s already flown with an FAA Special Airworthiness Certificate. That’s a huge step. It’s a hybrid, so you don’t have pure EV range anxiety. For me, the appeal is practicality—it’s designed for a 30-minute flight to beat a 3-hour drive, which fits a real commuting need.

The name to know is the specific model, like “Aska A5.” That’s more precise than just “flying car.”

[McHarper]

Let’s be clear: you can’t buy one today. The names you see—Alef Model A, Switchblade, AeroMobil—are prototypes and pre-production models. I’m practical about these things. The biggest hurdles aren’t engineering; they’re regulation and infrastructure.

Where do you park a flying car that needs a runway? The Switchblade solves that by driving to an airport, but then you need an airport. The Alef promises vertical takeoff from a parking spot, which sounds ideal, but the rules for that don’t exist yet in our cities.

The cost will be prohibitive initially, likely in the hundreds of thousands. So, when someone asks what it’s called, I say it’s called “a future possibility.” Keep an eye on which one gets full FAA type certification first. That will be the real milestone.

[GiaFitz]

From an industry insider’s view, the nomenclature matters. We don’t use “flying car” internally; it’s either a “roadable aircraft” or an “eVTOL vehicle.” Each name signifies a different engineering philosophy.

The AeroMobil is a roadable aircraft. It’s a plane that drives. Its focus is on aerodynamic performance on highways and in the sky. The development, backed by a Volvo-owned company, is about high-speed travel between cities.

Conversely, the Alef Model A is an eVTOL designed for urban environments. Its whole design prioritizes street parking and vertical lift to hop over congestion. The development path for each is vastly different, facing unique certification challenges under both automotive and aviation regulations.

So, the answer isn’t one name. It’s a spectrum of solutions, each with its own brand identity targeting a specific travel niche.

[JuniperLynn]

I think of it as the next step in personal freedom, like the car was last century. The name isn’t as important as the experience it enables. Imagine telling your grandkids you used to sit in traffic for hours. They might ask, “What was the car called that could only drive?”

For my future, I’m drawn to the concept of the Alef Model A. The idea of leaving a meeting, getting in my car, and simply ascending vertically from the parking lot to bypass gridlock is the real promise. It redefines what a “commute” means.

Other models, like the sleek Samson Switchblade, cater to the joy of flight—a weekend trip transforming into a scenic aerial journey. The common thread is reclaiming time. Whether it’s called an eVTOL, a roadable aircraft, or just a flying car, it represents a shift from two-dimensional to three-dimensional mobility. The technology is emerging now, setting the stage for this change within the next decade.