DUBAI: Xpeng Aeroht, an affiliate of Chinese electric-vehicle maker Xpeng Inc., staged the first public flight of its X2 flying car in Dubai this week, displaying a vehicle designed for low-altitude city trips such as sightseeing and medical transportation.
Xpeng president Brian Gu described the event as a "major step” in the company’s exploration of future mobility.
The two-seater electric vertical take off and landing vehicle, or eVTOL, has an enclosed cockpit and a carbon fibre structure. It has both manual and autonomous flying modes.
"Xpeng X2’s public display in Dubai represents a significant milestone for Xpeng Aeroht and the international achievement of flying cars,” Gu said in a statement dated Oct 10.
The X2 is Xpeng Aeroht’s fifth-generation flying car. The company said it plans to announce progress on its sixth-generation model that can drive on roads as well as fly at the 1024 Xpeng Tech Day, due to take place on Oct 24.
Several other startups including China’s TCab Tech and AutoFlight are exploring low-altitude city flights, or global urban air mobility, a market that could reach US$1 trillion (RM4.7tril) by 2040, according to Morgan Stanley.
Still, there have been plenty of setbacks, including the air-taxi company backed by billionaire Google co-founder Larry Page, which said last month it will close down.
