In the Tech Day event to be held on October 24, Xpeng Aeroht will unveil important results on the progress of the development of the sixth-generation flying car.
(Image credit: Xpeng)
Xpeng Motors' exploration of the ultimate in technology doesn't seem to stop, and the company is actively experimenting in the field of flying cars outside of electric vehicles (EVs).
Xpeng announced that its subsidiary Xpeng Aeroht made the first flight of its electric flying car Xpeng X2 today at Skydive Dubai.
This was the first public demonstration of the Xpeng X2 after completing a specific operational risk assessment and obtaining a special flight permit from the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA).
More than 150 attendees witnessed the maiden flight, including representatives from the Chinese Consulate in Dubai, Dubai International Chamber of Commerce, DCAA, Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, Dubai World Trade Center and global media, according to the company.
As a background, X2 is the fifth generation of Xpeng Aeroht's two-person electric flying car, a project that began in November 2020 and successfully made its maiden flight in China in June 2021.
Last July 16, Xpeng chairman and CEO He Xiaopeng officially announced the X2's launch via Weibo, saying, "This marks another step closer to a more widely available and safe flying car."
"Xpeng X2's public display in Dubai represents a significant milestone for Xpeng Aeroht and the international achievement of flying cars," said Brian Gu, vice chairman and president of Xpeng.
"Dubai is a world-renowned 'City of Innovation', which is the reason we decided to hold the X2 first public flight event here. Today's flight is a major step in Xpeng's exploration of future mobility," Gu added.
The X2 is a two-seat, closed-cockpit, all-electric flying car with autonomous flight path planning, ground monitoring, self-service return landing, and 100-kilometer two-way real-time communication capabilities.
It has an unladen weight of 560 kg and a maximum takeoff weight of 760 kg. It has a maximum cruise speed of 130 kilometers per hour and a range of 35 minutes.
In March, Xpeng Aeroht shipped the flying car to the Netherlands, marking the X2's European debut. The company did not have a flight demonstration in Europe at that time.
The X2 was on display at GITEX GLOBAL 2022, one of the world's largest technology shows, which opened in Dubai on October 10.
"Today, we are proud to support the first public flight of the pioneering flying car Xpeng Aeroht X2 in partnership with the Dubai International Chamber. Electric flying cars are the future of travel, and it is incredible to witness history in the making today," said Trixie LohMirmand, Executive Vice President of Events Management at Dubai World Trade Centre, GITEX GLOBAL's organizer.
Countries around the world currently have very strict regulations on manned flights, but that hasn't stopped Xpeng from believing that flying cars are the future of low-altitude urban flight, perfect for short-haul urban travel such as sightseeing and medical transport.
The X2 is equipped with two driving modes: manual and autonomous. During autonomous flight, passengers can enjoy a safe and intelligent flying experience with simple start, return and landing operations at the push of a button, according to Xpeng.
In addition to the X2, Xpeng is exploring more radical options for flying cars.
At its annual Tech Day event last October 24, Xpeng unveiled its sixth-generation flying car, a vehicle that can both drive like a normal car on land and fly through the air.
Mr. He said at the time that the company aims to have the flying car in mass production by 2024, with a price tag expected to be under RMB 1 million ($140,000).
"We never make concept cars or cars that are just for show, all the exploration is to bring it to mass production and change our lives in smart mobility," Mr. He said previously.
At this year's Tech Day event, to be held in two weeks on October 24, Xpeng Aeroht will unveil important results on the progress of the development of the sixth-generation flying car, including configuration, exterior design, and air driving method, Xpeng said today.
Equipped with both manual and automatic flight driving modes, this next-generation electric flying car is capable of traveling in the air and on the road, representing a true shift from two-dimensional to three-dimensional mobility, the company said.
As well as meeting daily travel demands, it can also trigger a folding and morphing system for vertical takeoff and landing for low-altitude manned flights, according to the company.
