China’s Xpeng flying car has made its first public flight. The company immediately received 2,000 pre-orders

Xpeng unveiled the Land Aircraft Carrier modular flying car and conducted its first public flight in China.

A land aircraft carrier consists of two parts: the main electric vehicle and the flying module. The 5.5-meter-long electric car is equipped with three rows of seats and a spacious trunk in which the module is stored. The power reserve of the electric vehicle is 1000 km.

The flying module is removed from the trunk with one button. The process is complete and takes about 5 minutes. In appearance it resembles a module of a large drone with a cabin, designed for two people.

Xpeng claims that a full charge can last for 5-6 flights, although the exact distance is not specified. The electric car manages to charge the flying module from 30% to 80% in 18 minutes.

At the presentation, Xpeng showed how the flying cabin works. The flight, including takeoff and landing, was performed in fully autonomous mode, although manual control also included controls. According to the company, three hours is enough for management training.

After the presentation, Xpeng announced that it had received pre-orders from 12 Chinese companies in 2008, an industry record. The cost of a land aircraft carrier is $280 thousand (~28 million rubles).

Serial production of the models will begin in 2026 at a new plant designed to produce 10 thousand cars per year.

Xpeng initially planned to create a hybrid car and helicopter that could travel on roads and take off when needed using folding blades. However, this concept was abandoned because vibrations when driving on roads could occur during stable flight. In the end, the company chose the current formulation with an electric carrier vehicle and a flying module that can be used when necessary. [CarNewsChina]