Alef Aeronautics, an 11-year-old automotive and aviation company, released a video showing its flying car hovering above a Tesla Roadster in direct response to Tesla's Oct. 15 Roadster flying demonstration.
Alef's flying-car project began in 2015 with a drawing on a cafe napkin in Palo Alto, California, where four friends imagined what a "Back to the Future" reality might look like. The company is now developing the vehicle as Tesla pursues its own approach to a flying car.
Alef gently teased Tesla for its flight demonstration, saying it was glad to have Tesla join the "flying car race." According to Alef, the video was released to coincide with Tesla’s flying Roadster demonstration.
Alef’s flying car video shows the vehicle lifting straight into
the air, creating a large distance between itself and the ground below. Then it begins to slowly soar above four vehicles, including a Tesla Cybertruck and a Roadster.
"For vertical takeoff, Alef uses distributed electric propulsion (DEP)," Alef said in a news release. "The Roadster is scheduled to use thrusters."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Alef Aeronautics takes playful jab at Tesla by flying over its cars
