Chinese Flying Car Production Takes Off: Xpeng Aeroht Leads Global Race Ahead of Tesla

Beijing:

A Chinese company has commenced trial production of flying cars this week, positioning itself ahead of Tesla and other competitors in this futuristic transportation sector.

Xpeng Aeroht, affiliated with Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer Xpeng, initiated trial production on Monday at what is being described as the world's first intelligent factory dedicated to mass-producing flying cars—marking a significant advancement in next-generation transportation commercialization.

The 120,000-square-meter manufacturing facility, situated in Guangzhou's Huangpu district in southern China's Guangdong Province, has already produced its first detachable electric aircraft module for the "Land Aircraft Carrier" modular flying car, according to state-run Xinhua news agency.

This state-of-the-art plant is engineered to achieve an annual production capacity of 10,000 detachable aircraft modules, beginning with an initial capacity of 5,000 units. The facility boasts the largest production volume among similar factories and, once fully operational, will be capable of assembling one aircraft every half hour.

Xpeng's announcement comes ahead of Tesla's anticipated flying car launch. Tesla founder Elon Musk told Fox that the unveiling "has a shot at being the most memorable product unveil ever," though he remained vague on specific technical details when asked about features like a "retractable wing."

Musk indicated the car would "hopefully" be unveiled "in a couple months," emphasizing the need to ensure functionality. "Like, this is some crazy, crazy technology we got in this car. Crazy technology. Crazy crazy," he stated.

Another American company, Alef Aeronautics, has recently demonstrated flying car test runs and announced imminent commercial production. CEO Jim Dukhovny revealed in a Fox News interview that his firm has secured over a billion dollars in pre-booking orders. These vehicles will require both standard driving licenses and light aircraft pilot licenses for operation.

Xpeng reports nearly 5,000 orders for its flying cars since product announcement, with mass production and deliveries scheduled for 2026.

The innovative flying car consists of a six-wheeled ground vehicle (termed the "mothership") and a detachable electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Xpeng's eVTOL vehicles offer both automatic and manual flight modes, with the automatic option featuring smart route planning and one-touch take-off and landing capabilities.

Measuring approximately 5.5 meters in length, the vehicle can be driven on public roads with a standard license and fits in conventional parking spaces, according to Xinhua.

China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) data indicates that approximately 50 Chinese EV manufacturers exported a total of 2.01 million pure electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles in the first eight months of this year, representing a 51 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

However, Chinese EV makers face challenges abroad, with the European Union imposing a 27 percent tariff on Chinese EVs to restrict their sales within the bloc.

Domestically, Chinese EV manufacturers are struggling with price wars and chronic overcapacity. According to Goldman Sachs, only half of China's electric vehicle production capacity—approximately 20 million units—was utilized last year. A recent report by the South China Morning Post indicates that among China's numerous EV builders, only four companies—BYD, Li Auto, Seres, and Leapmotor—are currently profitable.