- Xpeng Aeroht will next conduct manned flight tests across multiple locations in the UAE.
- The company plans to complete its inaugural flight in Dubai this October.
Xpeng's (NYSE: XPEV) flying car unit, Xpeng Aeroht, has secured a key permit for its Land Aircraft Carrier modular flying car in the UAE, paving the way for overseas market expansion.
The aircraft received a special flight permit in the UAE, marking the first manned aircraft special flight permit obtained by a Chinese flying car company overseas, Xpeng Aeroht announced today.
Xpeng Aeroht will conduct manned flight tests across multiple locations in the UAE, it stated.
The company will complete its inaugural flight in Dubai this October and plans to begin deliveries of the flying car in the second half of 2026, Xpeng announced on the opening day of the IAA Mobility auto show in Munich, Germany earlier this month.
The modular flying car underwent 12 years of R&D, with about $600 million invested and seven iterations completed, Xpeng said.
In the Chinese market, the Land Aircraft Carrier has garnered nearly 5,000 pre-orders, the electric vehicle (EV) maker said.
At its Tech Day event on October 24, 2023, Xpeng outlined that the Aeroht's development path will encompass both eVTOL (Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing) flying cars and modular flying cars.
The complete modular flying car system comprises a flying vehicle and a mother vehicle capable of recharging it.
Xpeng Aeroht will achieve mass production and delivery of the modular flying car by 2026, with pricing capped at RMB 2 million ($280,860), founder and president Zhao Deli announced at a September 3, 2024, media event.
In October 2024, construction commenced on Xpeng Aeroht's flying car manufacturing base, with an annual production capacity target of 10,000 units.
In May this year, the Civil Aviation Administration of China accepted the Production Certificate application for the Land Aircraft Carrier vehicle's flying unit, marking the start of its review process.
In July, Xpeng Aeroht completed a $250 million Series B funding round to accelerate mass production of its modular Land Aircraft Carrier flying car.
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