US start-up Aska showed a prototype at CES. The Aska A5 is a “flying car”, an electric VTOL with great range while being able to drive on the ground. The company has opened pre-orders and is confident it will launch in 2026.
According to the company, Aska claims a range of 250 miles or 400 kilometers for the A5, which seems impressive since the VTOL is also the size of an SUV. The trick is to use a gasoline range extender. Still, the company appears to be taking the “drive and fly” approach seriously. It’s a “true flying car,” says co-founder and CEO Guy Kaplinsky. “Aska is positioned as a next-generation vehicle that combines the convenience of a car with the ease and efficiency of VTOL and STOL flying.”
Aska is rated at 70 mph (113 km/h) on roads and 150 mph (241 km/h) in flight. At the same time, the dimensions of the A5 should further support vertical take-off or landing from any helipad, while also fitting into existing parking spaces on the ground. The A5 can also be charged like any other EV.
Regarding this drive, Aska mentioned a proprietary powertrain using in-wheel motor technology, but didn’t go into technical details. This allows all four wheels to be placed outside the fuselage for AWD traction, better aerodynamics, and maximizes interior space for four passengers.
In flight mode, the wings with its six rotors unfold, allowing the vehicle to take off vertically or for conventional runway takeoffs. The company added that the large wings are optimized for glide, smooth landing and efficient energy consumption, while each tiltrotor is used for vehicle control.
“In the US alone, there are about 15,000 airports with runways,” explains co-founder and COO Maki Kaplinsky. He compared the sub-five-second takeoff time to the performance of an F-18 Super Hornet fighter jet taking off from an aircraft carrier.
The Aska A5 will primarily offer on-demand rides, which the company expects to launch in 2026. Aska envisions certified pilots picking up customers at their homes — if they happen to have a helipad — and taking them to their destination. Or near their destination so they can drive that last mile.
CEO Kaplinsky added that the vehicle not only meets consumer demand, but also sees “significant commercial potential in emergency response use, military use, and on-demand ride-sharing mobility services.”
While this sounds futuristic and certainly difficult to legalize in “normal” life, Aska has been working with NASA since 2020. They signed a five-year Space Act agreement to participate in the National Campaign for Advanced Air Mobility co-organized by the FAA. In 2022, the FAA accepted Aska through its admission committee, so the company is now working towards type certification. Full flight testing will begin after CES, according to Aska.
Founded in 2018, Aska has corporate and engineering facilities in Los Altos and Mountain View, CA. As for claiming this is a world first, Audi’s Pop Up Next concept springs to mind. The automaker and Airbus, which ceased production in 2019, are working on a two-seater cabin that could be combined with a car or flight module.
