The official introduction of Xpeng Inc’s fully electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle marked the company’s entry into the global search for future transport vehicles. The car has a modern fold-away rotor mechanism that makes switching between driving and flying easy. For safety, it has a dual-engine backup system and a new flight control system with fault-tolerant control functionality.
Urban traffic congestion is thought to have a potential cure, according to the burgeoning eVTOL vehicle industry. Flying cars have the potential to be a fast, point-to-point mode of personal transportation in the future. Not just Xpeng but also other notable domestic and international automakers have been drawn to this expanding industry. More than 200 businesses and institutes are reportedly investigating the industry, according to public data.
By around 2024, Geely intends to introduce the flying car it created with German air taxi manufacturer Volocopter through its aviation affiliate Wofei Changkong Technology Co. in the Chinese market. A partnership between Hyundai Motor and Uber for the development of infrastructure ideas to support takeoff and landing for this new class of vehicles was first announced roughly two years ago.
The development of flying vehicles will benefit from China’s technological leadership in new-energy vehicles and artificial intelligence. A magnetic technology-based ‘flying automobile’ was recently tested at a Chinese university. According to reports, a permanent magnet array was fitted to enable levitation, and the car had been changed from a conventional vehicle.
Challenges for commercialization
Despite recent progress in multiple aspects in flying cars, challenges persist for achieving commercialization, experts said. ‘Advanced technologies are needed to ensure that flying cars are as safe and convenient as traditional cars,” Wang Yanan, chief editor of Beijing-based Aerospace Knowledge magazine said. Establishing of flight routes and airspace regulation requires complex laws and regulations as well as the support of AI’, Wang added.
Commercialization obstacles
Despite recent advancements in a variety of flying car-related areas, experts indicated there are still obstacles in the way of commercialization. ‘To make flying cars as safe and practical as conventional cars, advanced technologies are required, according to Wang Yanan, chief editor of the Beijing-based Aerospace Knowledge magazine. Complex laws and regulations are needed for the establishment of flight paths and airspace regulation, as well as AI assistance’, Wang continued.
By the year 2050, 160,000 flying cars will be used as air taxis worldwide, according to a Roland Berger estimate. By 2040, Morgan Stanley projected that the industry would reach a market size of $1 trillion. Flying cars may be utilised at weddings and other special events in addition to being used by businessmen, according to Wofei Changkong Technology CEO Jing Chao.
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