When we think about flying cars, we imagine machines that seamlessly convert from street to air mode, that can take off and land vertically, and that can cruise in the air and on the highway. The $789,000 Aska A5 promises to do it all.
It's a four-seat car the size of an SUV, capable of traveling at highway speeds. It'll look completely ridiculous doing so, but it's capable. Then, when the mood takes you, just press a button and it automatically converts into an eVTOL. At which point, it doesn't look nearly so ridiculous.
Once airborne, it offers a 250 mile (400 km) flight range at speeds up to 150 mph (240 km/h), thanks to a range-extended hybrid powertrain. Aska hasn't shown any footage of its bonkers craft in the air yet, but the company says it's already "conducting flight testing," after receiving a Certificate of Authorization and Special Airworthiness Certification from the FAA. And now the company has declared it's "the world's first flying car to receive authorization to drive on public roads from the United States Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)."
Aska says it has already taken more than 60 pre-orders, representing deposits on $50 million, and claims the A5 is "on target for 2026 commercialization, subject to certification approvals." And that's the next big hurdle. The authorisations, thus far, from the FAA and DMV, are for testing. They are not a green light to drive on roads or fly in the sky as a fully fledged commercial operation.
So, we'll just have to wait and see what happens next. In the meantime, check out this video of the Aska 5...