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Flying Car Takes First Public Piloted Flight; 2,000 Orders
The vehicle detached from the Land Aircraft Carriers and was flown by founder and experienced flyer Zhao Deli
5 Min Read
XPeng Aeroht
The flying car from XPeng Aeroht in China took its first public flight in front of media and attendees at the Guangzhou Auto Show this week.
The vehicle, which detached from the Land Aircraft Carriers, was flown by founder and experienced flyer Zhao Deli.
The company also said it has received more than 2,000 orders for the flying car, with nearly 80% of the purchasers being entrepreneurs, CEOs, celebrities and flight enthusiasts.
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.
Credit: XPeng Aeroht
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, which Deli demonstrated at the event.
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.
In the public demonstration this week, the vehicle conducted a vertical takeoff and landing, flew forward and backward, made left and right turns and circled.
XPeng recently started the “manned test flight” phase of the Land Aircraft Carrier with Deli personally testing the vehicle’s performance “to optimize its parameters and provide users with the ultimate flight experience,” according to the company.
That presentation was the first public demonstration of the automated separation and reattachment process.
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 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.
The X5 is aimed at intercity travel and is projected for production within the next five years.
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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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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