While flying cars have long been the domain of fantasy, the reality could arrive sooner than many anticipate. Electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOLs) are set to play an increasingly important role in the future of mobility from the 2030s onwards, though few manufacturers have announced concrete plans to combine them with road vehicles.
In January 2024, Xpeng Aeroht, an affiliate of Xpeng Motors, announced that it was preparing its first mass producible flying car model, the Land Aircraft Carrier. The final design has yet to be confirmed, although the company announced that it would be a six-wheeler pick-up model for private ownership market, accommodating four to five passengers and featuring an “extender-range hybrid power system”.
Chinese pre-orders will be accepted in Q4 2024, with suggested pricing between US$170,000 and US$200,000. Deliveries are expected to commence the following year. Until then, Wang Tan, Co-Founder and Vice President of Xpeng Aeroht, explains to Automotive World that eVTOLs’ place in global mobility must be carefully shaped by the sector’s innovators.
