Xpeng Aero HT, The space company, under Chinese EV startup Xpeng, has been unveiled CES 2025 Its “modular flying car”, the so-called Land Aircraft Carry. It's basically an electric minivan with a small folding eVTOL (vertical takeoff and landing vehicle) on the back, which can be rolled out and launched in flight.
The company says it already has 3,000 intended orders for the vehicle and plans to begin mass production this year with first deliveries planned for 2026. Potential customers and uses for the vehicle include thrill-seekers with deep pockets — land aircraft carriers cost “under $300,000” — and emergency search and rescue, according to an Aero HT spokesperson.
Aero HT plans to launch in China first before considering the international market.
Although Xpeng shares a complex and sci-fi-inspired design for it The flying car of the future In the past, it tried to take to the skies via a more hybrid route. Instead of requiring a large expensive hangar, Aero HT's innovation will allow you to drive the car and eVTOL to a take-off and landing site, giving the small aircraft a “single command” to detach and unfold, then take off.
Once you've had your fun in the sky and come back to Earth, the mothership reconnects with the eVTOL, folds its arms and stores it back in the trunk. Easy peasy. right?
If that sounds a bit far-fetched to you, you're not alone, but Brian Gu, Xpeng's vice chairman and president, says the land aircraft carrier has received its type certification — meaning the vehicle meets production requirements — and completed its first public crewed flight demonstration. did
In the US, eVTOL startups such as Beta Technologies and Joby Aviation have piloted flights, but Archer Aviation has not yet.
In addition to type certification, the Aero HT also needs to obtain its production certificate, which allows it to mass produce its units, and then its airworthiness certificate.
Aero HT's manufacturing facility in Guangzhou is already under construction and scheduled to begin production later this year. At capacity, the facility will be able to produce 10,000 cars, according to an Aero HT spokesperson.
Again, you wonder how the company plans to scale production to such incredible heights. Does the Aero HT have ocean-sized pockets?
In 2024, Xpeng Aero HT secured $150 million in Series B1 financing to begin construction on its facility, and the company continues to raise funds, according to a spokesperson. Before that, in 2021, the company launched a $500 million Series A.
Again, for reference, Beta Technologies raised $1.15 billion, Jobbi $2.8 billion, and Archer over $3 billion, per Pitchbook data.
TechCrunch asked Xpeng Aero HT how much more money it thinks it will need to ramp up production over the next year, and we'll update this story when we get an answer.
But given the company's long-term plans, more capital will be needed on the table. Land Aircraft Carrier Modular Flying Car is only the 1st phase. Aero HT did not provide a timeline, but its second-phase aircraft product involves developing a high-speed, long-range tiltrotor flying car that is networked for use in an “integrated urban air mobility.” According to a company statement, the third phase is Developing an eVTOL flying car to enable a “seamless, door-to-door, integrated land-air urban transportation system”.
More details about mothership
The ground module, or mothership, is a six-wheeled vehicle that looks a lot like an EV startup Canoo is the lifestyle delivery vehicleWith a touch of Tesla Cybertruck. Xpeng's inspiration is “what a lunar rover for Earth might look like”—sleek, heavy-duty, futuristic.
It features a floating roof, dark wheel arches and foldable rearview mirror that retracts into the fenders when parked. The dual-swing doors open automatically in the back, and even with the eVTOL inside, there's still room for four passengers. Aero HT also said that the car will be launched in four color options.
The land aircraft carrier promises to act as a mobile supercharging station for eVTOL, powering the aircraft during drive and park so it is always ready for takeoff. It features what Xpeng says is the world's first 800-volt silicon carbide range extension power platform that can achieve a combined range of more than 621 miles.
A compact eVTOL with six rotors
The eVTOL is super lightweight with a panoramic cockpit made of carbon fiber The vehicle has a dual-duct six-rotor design with foldable propellers and arms, and is powered by its own 800-volt silicon carbide high-voltage platform.
The company says the vehicle's safety features include a fully redundant design for propulsion, power, communications, flight control and operation, and automatic rotor failure response. Aero HT added that it is in the process of testing 200 units to demonstrate reliability in adverse conditions.
And apparently, it's easy enough to fly. Although owners must be certified to legally fly it, Xpeng says the vehicle's single-stick control simplifies operation. And if not, it can also fly in autonomous mode “thanks to intelligent flight assistance that includes one-touch takeoff, automatic route planning, real-time airspace monitoring and landing vision assistance”.
That's a lot of promise, and we'll continue to see if Xpeng delivers. But all in all, a chef's kiss for the perfect kind of CES announcement.