On October 11, XPeng AeroHT, a Chinese company, performed the first public test flight of its electric flying car in front of 150 spectators at Skydive Dubai, against the backdrop of sweeping cityscape views and ideal airspace conditions. The vehicle’s ability to perform an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) was demonstrated during the 90-second flight.
The company behind it has provided all the evidence required to conclude that the concept is unquestionably close to becoming a reality, even though a commercially ready car is most likely still years away from entering the showroom.
According to XPeng AeroHT, the Xpeng X2 is a “fifth-generation” flying car that was independently created by the Chinese business. It’s a two-seater with a sleek teardrop-shaped design that gives it a very futuristic appearance that could have come right out of a sci-fi movie. To achieve the best in-flight performance, aerodynamics, weight reduction, and the use of an all-carbon fibre body have all been taken into account.
Being an all-electric vehicle, it contributes to the global movement away from ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles in favour of more environmentally friendly urban transportation because it emits no carbon emissions. According to XPeng, the X2 is best suited for short-distance city trips like sightseeing and medical transportation as well as low-altitude city flights.
The car’s ability to fly autonomously, allowing users to perform extremely safe takeoff, flight, and landing operations at the push of a button, is arguably its most exciting feature. For those who are more daring, there is also a manual mode.
Given that the car is still in the early stages of development, there is no information yet on its price or availability. On the other hand, we discovered at the company’s 1024 Tech Day in the fall of last year that its sixth-generation flying car is expected to launch in 2024 and could cost as little as $156,600. This more recent model will have road driving capabilities as well.
The XPeng X2’s availability date of 2024 sounds way too optimistic, especially in light of the numerous challenges that must be overcome before any vehicle of its kind is permitted to fly, even though that pricing can be used to determine an estimated price for the XPeng X2.
