Xpeng, a Chinese start-up specializing in electric cars, is prepared to launch its eVTOL after getting the green light from the Chinese administration on Jan. 30. Electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft could be mobilized for urban tourism and medical transport.
Xpeng starts before the competition
Xpeng Aeroht’s subsidiary has obtained a special flight permit from Zhōngguó Mínyòng Hángkōng Jú, the equivalent of the Direction Générale de l’Aviation Civile in France. This clearance allows the electric aircraft, dubbed the X2, to fly with a pilot. The company plans to launch a large-scale test to accumulate data with hopes of future commercialization.
Xpeng takes a significant advantage by becoming the first company to obtain official certification in China. For the company, in a press release, granting a special flight license to the X2 marks an acceleration in the development of flying cars and will propel the entire eVTOL industry forward. »
X2, described as a flying car, consists of a cockpit with 4 propellers that can accommodate two people. The vehicle is designed for “future low-level urban flying, including short-haul trips such as sightseeing and medical transport.” The aircraft can be operated in manual mode with a pilot or autonomously. It weighs 560 kg and can fly for up to 35 minutes, with a maximum flight speed of 130 km/h. Since its announcement in June 2021, the model has completed more than 3,000 tests.
Last October, the X2 had already received official certification in the UAE and completed a first test flight in Dubai.
Aeroht said it is working on a new generation of its model. This machine could both drive on the road, like a regular car, and fly. It would also have the option of being flown manually or autonomously.
This certification therefore allows Xpeng to pursue its diversification ambitions. The past year was disappointing for the automaker, which met half of its annual sales target according to Bloomberg. The start-up then moved its profitability target, initially projected for the end of 2023, to 2025. Within a year, the company’s share value plunged by 70%.
By 2040, according to Morgan Stanley, the global flying car market is expected to reach $1.5 trillion, three times the electric car market today. China’s Ministry of Transportation has listed eVTOL research and development as one of the industry’s top tasks in the next 13 years.
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