XPeng is expanding into Australia and will be debuting its X2 flying car
- XPeng is leading the way in eVTOL transport
- The Chinese company has conducted several flights already
- This appearance in Melbourne will be a first for Australia
Published on Jul 25, 2024 at 3:55 AM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Jul 25, 2024 at 11:50 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
Chinese EV company XPeng is set to debut what it says will be Australia’s first flying car when the company heads to the Melbourne Electric SUV Expo next month.
XPeng has partnered with local importer, retailer, and distributor TrueEV as it expands into Australia.
The company is set to showcase four of its EVs at the Expo in August – the G6, G9, P7, and X9.
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The XPeng X2 flying car will be making its first Australian flight
It will also debut its AeroHT X2 two-seater electric vertical take-off and landing eVTOL, known as the world’s first flying car.
XPeng says its eVTOL will ‘transform urban mobility with its advanced electric propulsion and autonomous flight technology’.
It also looks pretty cool. The aircraft has a chic, minimalist design featuring gullwing doors, and a glass canopy over the cockpit so that those on board can make the most of the views.
The XPeng X2 features eight propellers, is powered by batteries, has a maximum speed of 130 km/h (81 mph), and boasts a flight time of 35 minutes.
Although we have seen many flying car concepts, the XPeng X2 is the closest vehicle that has even come to a proper release, with the company’s co-president Brian Gu recently saying they could be going into production sooner than you’d think.
The idea, according to Gu, is to have these ‘cars’ ready by late 2025, or early 2026 at the latest.
The company says its an ‘exciting milestone’
According to XPeng AeroHT, the vehicle can be used for urban air transportation and sightseeing.
Because it is powered by electricity it has no carbon emissions during flights.
In videos shared by XPeng, the X2 has been seen taking to the skies in numerous cities, including Shenzhen’s central business district – but it will be a first for Australia.
In a press release, the company said it was ‘an exciting milestone’.
“This August we’re excited to be revealing the first of XPeng’s highly intelligent, stylish electric vehicles in Australia at the Electric SUV Expo in Melbourne,” said Jason Clarke, CEO of TrueEV.
“Visitors to the show will be blown away by the technologically advanced features of the XPeng range and we’re ready to demonstrate how confident we are that the vehicles’ capabilities and design features will accelerate electric vehicle adoption in Australia.”
Claire Reid
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.
