Flying Car Company Introduces the Land Aircraft Carrier

Flying car company XPeng Aeroht has introduced the Land Aircraft Carrier, a combination road vehicle with a flying component.

The preview event in Guangzhou in southern China included a live demonstration of the air module flying and the detailing of commercialization plans for the vehicle. In the flying demonstration, the flight module took off vertically from the grass, circled in the air and smoothly landed.

The six-wheel, three-axle ground vehicle, known as the mothership, carries the flying component inside it. The rear trunk, which stores the flying component, has a semi-transparent glass design, so the flying vehicle can be subtly visible. 

Credit: XPeng Aeroht

To fly, that part of the vehicle totally detaches and becomes a standalone electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle for low-altitude flights.

Credit: XPeng Aeroht

The air module is fully electric and supports both manual and automatic flying. It has six propellers and a panoramic cockpit.

The separation and reconnection mechanisms are automatic. Once detached, the six arms and propellers of the air vehicle unfold. 

Once inside, the flying module is recharged by the mothership. The air vehicle is flown by joystick control or can be flown and landed autonomously.

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The company plans to deploy more than 200 air modules for a variety of tests including single-point failure tests for components including rotors, motors and battery packs.

The Land Aircraft Carrier is scheduled to make its first public manned flight at the China Airshow in Zhuhai in November and pre-sales are expected to start by the end of the year.

The land aircraft carrier is also intended for use in emergency services such as medical rescues, obstacle crossings, highway accident responses and high-rise evacuations.

The first phase of deployment is to launch the flying car in restricted flying experiences and public service applications.

XPeng Aeroht recently raised $150 million in a series B financing round, with plans to use the funds for the development, mass production and commercialization of Land Aircraft Carrier, according to founder Zhao Deli.

The manned air module of the eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) vehicle is being developed for users in China.

XPeng Aeroht already had a deal with the Guangzhou Development District for the manufacturing, mass production and sales of its flying vehicles.

The electric aerial vehicle (EAV) maker, a subsidiary of Chinese electric vehicle maker XPeng Motors, has long planned to establish an intelligent, large-scale flying car factory.

Related:Flying Car Featured at CES; Pre-Orders Starting This Year

The plant is intended to produce the flight component of the modular Land Aircraft Carrier.

The XPeng flying car, scheduled to launch after the Land Aircraft Carrier, drew attention when it was featured at CES earlier this year.

The flying car looks like a car with large propellers atop it with the wings folding up into the car for on-road driving.

XPenh has expanded its flight application network, with 60 flying car camps including general aviation airports, scenic spots, cultural and tourism towns and urban suburbs signed.

The company said it has developed an ultra-low-altitude multi-parachute rescue system for flight

The Land Aircraft Carrier model is more practical in the short term since the land and air components can be developed and treated separately.

XPeng raised $500 million in a series A financing round in 2021 and is backed by a consortium of investors, including Sequoia China, Eastern Bell Capital, GGV Capital, GL Ventures and Yunfeng Capital.

The company has conducted an autonomous test of its EAV with the two-seater X2 taking off, flying over buildings and landing, showcased in a video by the company.

A somewhat similar approach to flying vehicles is being taken by LuftCar in Orlando, Florida, at least in taking the approach of developing two separate vehicles.

LuftCar is developing a hydrogen-powered eVTOL vehicle. The flying component, called a flying forklift by the company, would attach to the land vehicle and then be able to fly it.