XPeng, a Chinese automaker, has developed a remarkable electric flying car prototype under its subsidiary, AeroHT. Despite its hefty 2-ton weight, this innovative vehicle has the impressive capability to gently take off and land vertically from the ground.
AeroHT aims to create an authentic flying car capable of both highway driving and vertical take-offs, offering a solution to avoid traffic congestion.
The X3 flying car prototype by AeroHT is a high-end electric sports car specifically designed to incorporate a unique system of 8 vertical lifting propellers. These propellers are ingeniously designed to fold neatly on the car’s roof.
The newly tested X3 flying car prototype is designed with a basic shape as shown in simulation images and has a weight of 1,936 kg. The vertical lifting system is equipped with 8 large propellers mounted on the car’s roof. However, these propellers cannot be folded as originally intended. The structure of the system and the fan blades appear to be extremely robust.
In the recorded video, the X3 flying car emerges from the garage and subsequently lifts off. It hovers in mid-air, maneuvers around for a while, and eventually lands smoothly. Additionally, AeroHT has conducted numerous flight tests wherein a car’s propeller experienced a failure.
AeroHT has not released any operational details about the flying car, but there is a possibility that the X3 may have limitations in terms of its air time due to its significant weight. It appears that the car’s design is primarily intended for personal use rather than being suitable for commercial flying taxi services.
Because of weight-related challenges, as well as restrictions on their return and operating range, the development of genuine flying cars like AeroHT is undertaken by only a handful of companies. In contrast, many companies are intrigued by and actively working on the development of flying motorbikes.
