Flying Car Company Starts Piloted Test Flight Phase

XPeng Aeroht in China has started the “manned test flight” phase of the Land Aircraft Carrier, a combination road vehicle with a flying component.

Founder and experienced flier Zhao Deli is personally testing the vehicle’s performance “to optimize its parameters and provide users with the ultimate flight experience,” according to the company.

The Land Aircraft Carrier is scheduled to make its first global public flight at the China International Airshow on Nov. 12.

That presentation is expected to provide the first public demonstration of the automated separation and reattachment process. 

Pre-sales of the flying vehicles are scheduled to start in December.

XPpeng Aeroht also is developing a new product codenamed X5, an eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) vehicle with high-speed, long-range capabilities.

“The X5 will feature a full tilt-rotor design that balances vertical takeoff and landing with high-speed cruising,” stated a company announcement. “In vertical takeoff mode, the rotors are positioned vertically, allowing the vehicle to take off and hover like a helicopter. In high-speed cruising mode, the rotors tilt horizontally, enabling the vehicle to cruise like a fixed-wing aircraft.

The six rotors of the X5 can tilt from vertical to horizontal, what XPeng calls a breakthrough technology to achieve high-speed, long-range eVTOL flight. 

Related:Flying Car Company Starts Manufacturing Plant; 10,000 Units a Year

The X5 is aimed at intercity travel and is projected for production within the next five years.

XPeng Aeroht is constructing a large-scale flying car manufacturing plant designed to produce 10,000 flying vehicles a year.

The plant in Guangzhou, China, is scheduled to produce the air module of the modular flying car Land Aircraft Carrier.

XPeng Aeroht earlier this year introduced the Land Aircraft Carrier, a six-wheel, three-axle ground vehicle, known as the mothership, which 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. 

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

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.

Related:Flying Car Company Introduces the Land Aircraft Carrier

The new manufacturing plant contains a composites shop, joint shop, painting shop, assembly shop and supporting infrastructure. 

A preview event in Guangzhou in southern China earlier this year included a live demonstration of the air module flying. The flight module took off vertically from the grass, circled in the air and smoothly landed.

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

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

XPeng Aeroht has raised $150 million in a series B financing round, with plans to use the funds to develop, mass produce and commercialize the Land Aircraft Carrier, according to Deli.

The manned air module of the eVTOL is being developed for users in China.

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 Company Raises $150M; Road Vehicle Detaches

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.

XPeng 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.