Xpeng Builds World’s First Mass-Production Flying Car Factory

6 hours ago Editor

Xpeng Aeroht has started building a massive production facility in China to manufacture modular flying cars, combining a van with an onboard VTOL, aimed at producing 10,000 units per year.

Xpeng Aeroht, a Chinese company specializing in flying vehicles, has officially begun constructing a production facility in Guangzhou, China, designed to manufacture 10,000 flying cars annually. This marks a substantial step forward in the company’s ambitious plan to make flying cars available to the masses.

Founded in 2013, Xpeng Aeroht has developed five generations of prototypes, currently focusing on the X1, X2, and T1 designs. However, the latest model, called the Land Aircraft Carrier or X3-F, was showcased at the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and demonstrates an innovative leap. Unlike typical flying cars, the Land Aircraft Carrier combines an all-electric van with a VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) aircraft, offering modular travel both on land and in the air.

The Land Aircraft Carrier’s van is a six-wheeled, all-electric, all-wheel-drive vehicle capable of seating five passengers. It has an onboard space where the VTOL aircraft is docked. This modular design allows users to drive the van, then detach the VTOL for flight. The VTOL is electric, powered by a distributed propulsion system, and can be flown manually or in an autonomous mode, providing a simplified flying experience.

Xpeng’s new factory is expected to become the world’s first large-scale flying car production facility, using specialized aviation safety traceability systems and advanced assembly line processes. The plant, covering 1.94 million square feet, will feature composites, painting, joint, and assembly workshops to produce both the van and VTOL components.

While a precise completion date for the factory remains undisclosed, the facility’s initial phase will allow Xpeng to begin pre-sales by the end of the year, with a first public demonstration of the Land Aircraft Carrier at the upcoming China Airshow on November 12. For now, these modular flying cars will be available for pre-order within China only. Xpeng Aeroht asserts that the vehicle’s user-friendly control system could make flying accessible to the general public, with most users mastering the VTOL controls within hours.