China's thriving electric vehicle is taking to the skies, tapping into comprehensive supply chains and specialized talent to turn flying cars from dream to reality.
XPeng AeroHT, the flying car affiliate of Chinese EV maker XPENG, is leading the charge by unveiling the revolutionary "Land Aircraft Carrier" modular flying car, the first product in the world that can fit an aircraft in a car's trunk.
The unique vehicle boasts a two-part design, seamlessly switching between terrestrial and aerial modes. The air module facilitates vertical takeoff for low-altitude flights, while the ground module ingeniously envelops the air module, allowing for ground transportation.
In the future, this product will redefine road trips by allowing travelers to drive to scenic destinations and enjoy stunning aerial views of the landscape, said Zhao Deli, founder of XPeng AeroHT.
The air module of this futuristic vehicle is easy to operate.
"You can get started in five minutes, and become proficient in three hours. It can be manually controlled or fly automatically," said Zhao as he demonstrated the device.
Construction of a pioneering factory for producing these flying cars has begun in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, with mass production set to start in the third quarter of 2025 at an annual capacity of 10,000 units, which would mark a significant milestone in the future of transportation.
Zhao said the company has reached this point thanks to all the work done building China's EV industry.
"The development of new energy vehicles and electric vehicles over the years has cultivated a complete supply chain, research and development and talent. China also has a huge consumer market. Therefore, the new energy vehicles, and electric vehicles China has developed over the past ten years, offered flying cars technologies like power, flight control, autonomous driving as well as a complete supply chain," he said.
Customer deliveries of the flying cars will begin in 2026.
China's booming EV sector powers takeoff of flying cars
