World’s first flying car XPeng X2 takes momentous first flight in Beijing
- The XPeng X2 took flight in Bejing, China, at the weekend
- The latest flight brings XPeng a step closer to the ultimate goal of commercializing the flying car
- XPeng CEO Brian Gu has previously said flying cars could be on sale sooner than you think
Published on Jun 19, 2024 at 11:54 AM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Jun 19, 2024 at 5:47 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
XPeng’s X2 flying car has taken a successful test flight at Beijing International Airport Economic Zone.
XPeng AeroHT showcased the X2 at the 2024 China Langfang International Economic and Trade Fair on Sunday, June 16.
It marked the first time such a flight has taken off in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, an area that is hoping to target the developing ‘the low-altitude economy’ – and brings the X2 an exciting step closer to XPeng’s ultimate goal of commercializing the flying car.
READ MORE! XPeng unveils footage of flying cars successfully crossing rivers on numerous occasions
XPeng X2 takes flight in China
The X2 is the world’s first flying car – a low-altitude autonomous eVTOL, that will allow its drivers to avoid heavy traffic by simply taking to the skies.
Sounds good, right?
The flying car has a cool, futuristic-looking design and can fly for up to 35 minutes on a single charge with a maximum speed of around 80mph (128km/ph).
The vehicle, which has undergone more than 4,000 test flights, has two modes – manual and autonomous.
XPeng explains: “During the autonomous flight, passengers can enjoy a safe and intelligent flying experience with simple start, return and landing operations at the touch of a button.”
The flying car features eight propellers, powered by batteries – meaning they don’t produce any carbon emissions during flight making them a greener option.
Xpeng says it will be selling flying cars ‘soon’
According to XPeng: “The X2 adopts an enclosed cockpit with a minimalist teardrop-shaped design and a sci-fi appearance that takes highly efficient aerodynamics into account to achieve the ultimate in-flight performance.”
The two-seated aircraft have a glass canopy over the cockpit so the pilot and passenger can make the most of the stunning views while up in the air, with Xpeng saying it is ideal for sightseeing.
An X2 was recently spotted above China’s Shenzhen’s central business district, while the company has also shared footage of the flying cars successfully crossing rivers.
While the recent flight in China was another major step for the company – it’s far from the X2s first public flight. It was actually showcased in Dubai all the way back in 2022.
Brian Gu, Vice Chairman and President of XPeng, said at the time: “XPeng X2’s public display in Dubai represents a significant milestone for XPeng AeroHT and the international achievement of flying cars.
“Dubai is a world-renowned ‘City of Innovation’, which is the reason we decided to hold the X2 first public flight event here.
“Today’s flight is a major step in XPeng’s exploration of future mobility.”
Since then, Gu has claimed that the company will be making flying cars available sooner than people think.
The idea, according to Gu, is to have these ‘cars’ ready by late 2025, or early 2026 at the latest, and they will be initially used in rural areas.
Personally, I can’t wait to spot one of these on my morning commute.
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Claire Reid is a journalist who hails from the UK but is now living in New Zealand. She began her career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Liverpool John Moore’s University and has more than a decade of experience, writing for both local newspapers and national news sites. Across her career she's covered a wide variety of topics, including celebrity, cryptocurrency, politics, true crime and just about everything in between.
