The XPeng flying car has just made its very first global public flight in Dubai.
XPeng, a Chinese technology and EV manufacturer, made history on Monday when its flying car took off at Skydive Dubai in front of a crowd of onlookers.
The eVTOL maker says the car, which is completely autonomous, will change the future of travel as we know it.
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After the successful 90-minute test flight, Dubai hopes to adopt it for commercial flights in as little as two years.
“This flying car is a luxury item and a lot of high net-worth individuals are looking for technology and such luxurious product,” Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry Omar Abdulaziz AlKhan said.
“Dubai is the place where we have customers.”
The autonomous two-seater eVTOL can get up to speeds of 130km/h and can fly for up to 35 minutes.
So, it’s not designed for long-haul flights, instead, it’s been designed with low-altitude city capabilities in mind.
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Essentially, it will be able to fly above the traffic in built-up urban areas, cutting hours off your trip.
In fact, XPeng says the X2 will be able to cut a 4.5-hour-long car journey down to just 20 minutes.
The X2, which is the latest generation of flying cars developed by XPENG AEROHT, is built out of carbon fiber to be ultra lightweight.
It weighs just 560kg and can take off with 760kg.
The X2 also emits zero carbon dioxide.
The test flight happened at the Dubai World Trade Centre, which is currently hosting the GITEX Global 2022.
The Dubai Chamber’s Hassan Al Hashemi said Dubai was the obvious choice for the test flight.
“Dubai has become a magnet and testbed for companies from around the world that bring cutting-edge technologies to the market,” he said.
XPeng flying car specs:
The eVTOL multi-copter will be completely autonomous.
It will be able to carry two passengers, reach speeds of 130km/h (81mph) and have a flight time of 35 minutes.
XPeng says it will also have a cruise altitude of 300-500m (up to 1,640 feet).
The X2 flying car has 8 propellers and 8 electric motors and is powered by batteries.
And as a fail-safe, it’s also fitted with a ballistic parachute.
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