The flying car has a folding rotor mechanism that makes it possible to be driven on roads. Xpeng
Chinese EV maker Xpeng unveiled a new flying car that can also operate on roads.
It has a folding rotor mechanism that makes it a land and air vehicle.
The company plans on launching it as early as 2024.
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Flying cars are expected to launch and start running as early as 2023. One of the companies preparing to have its flying car up in the air is Chinese smart EV maker Xpeng-backed HT Aero. The company unveiled a flying car that can also drive on roads. It isn’t commercially available yet but HT Aero has a rollout timeline planned for 2024.
HT Aero’s flying car will feature a lightweight design and a folding rotor mechanism, according to a report by TechCrunch. The rotor folds away so that the car makes it possible to be driven on roads. The vehicle will have a steering wheel for on-ground driving, and a single lever for air mobility. When it’s ready to fly, the rotors will expand for the flying car to get back up in the car. The current prototype is 18 feet in length but the company plans on making it shorter.
The company demonstrated its latest innovation at the Xpeng Tech Day where it showed a very futuristic looking car driving on the road and rotors expanding out of the two doors to convert into a flying car.
This flying car is also said to be capable of fully evaluating the surrounding environment and weather conditions so that it can conduct safety assessments before taking off. Even before landing, the vehicle’s system will evaluate the data it picks up against driving objectives, the report added. It also uses advanced perception and flight control algorithms to detect and avoid obstacles when flying in the air. The flying car also features a number of safety features including parachutes.
Xpeng plans to start mass-producing the flying car with HT Aero soon, and it should be available for commercial sale by 2024. The company is also planning to price the hybrid flying car lower than RMB 1 million ( ₹1,17,35,424).
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