Alef Aeronautics 展示飞行汽车飞跃多辆特斯拉的 stunt，完成第1000次测试飞行

This company responded to the Tesla Roadster unveil by performing an equally impressive stunt flying over multiple Teslas.

Alef Aeronautics – this is the name of the company – wanted to make the point the clear as they also see themselves as a ‘flying car’ manufacturer.

The icing on the cake is that, apparently, this was their 1,000th logged test flight.

But there’s something worth pointing out.

A brief history of Alef

Alef Aeronautics was founded in 2015 in California and the goal was to build a flying car from the start.

The first vehicle they unveiled, called Model A, is an eVTOL – electric Vertical Take-Off Landing, which means it can take off and land vertically, with no runway.

The planned flight range is approximately 110 miles (180km), and almost twice that at 200 miles (320km) when it’s used a ground vehicle.

Alef used one of its vehicles to one-up Tesla.

And it was certainly a spectacular stunt to watch.

How this vehicle soared over multiple Teslas

Alef used the video to ‘welcome’ Tesla to the flying vehicle space, showcasing its car flying overhead and soaring over four cars parked on the ground.

We spotted a Lexus SUV and at least two Teslas: Cybertruck, and even the original Roadster, which was a nice touch.

The fourth vehicle behind the Cybertruck isn’t visible, but it looks like it could be a Model X.

Still, what matters is that the stunt looked great on camera.

But the irony is that, in practice, both Tesla and Alef are facing the same kind of challenges.

Both have to deal with strict regulatory frameworks.

For example, Alef requires a pilot’s licenses for flying cars, which isn’t ideal.

Also, both are also taking what you can do from an engineering perspective to the next level.

Last but certainly least, both are definitely under pressure to deliver something concrete beyond these, admittedly spectacular, shows.

The main problem with the Tesla Roadster

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has already made it clear it doesn’t consider the Tesla Roadster an aircraft.

Meanwhile, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has already said that the Rocket variant will not be approved for public use.

Not only because it can fly, but also because of the physical presence of cold-gas thrusters.

That probably explains why Elon Musk has already addressed this by stating that Tesla will build a Hot Wheels-like playground for customers.

As per usual, an ETA hasn’t been provided.