XPeng's $300K Flying Car Could Launch in China by Summer 2027
Chinese automaker XPeng says its two-seat autopilot aircraft will be cleared for rural recreation and emergency services in the second half of 2027.
Chinese electric vehicle and aviation company XPeng is targeting a commercial launch of its two-seat flying car as early as next summer, with the $300,000 low-altitude vehicle set to serve recreational users and emergency responders across rural China, according to the company's chief executive.
Deli Zhao, XPeng's CEO, said the craft would be available in the second half of 2027. The vehicle, which features autopilot capability, has already cleared a significant regulatory hurdle after China's civil aviation authorities granted approval for limited operations — a milestone that follows roughly a decade of development work at the company's base in Guangzhou.
Read more Nats CEO Calls Himself 'Most Disliked Person in UK' After Air Traffic Chaos →
That development period included test flights of flying motorbikes, underscoring the breadth of XPeng's low-altitude mobility ambitions before arriving at the current two-seat model. The price point of approximately $300,000 — equivalent to around £225,000 — positions the craft firmly in premium or institutional territory for its initial rollout, with emergency services representing a key early use case alongside private recreational buyers in less densely populated areas.
The announcement places XPeng among a small group of global manufacturers racing to bring passenger-carrying aerial vehicles to market, though regulatory environments, infrastructure gaps, and cost barriers continue to shape the pace of adoption worldwide. China's willingness to advance civil aviation approvals for such technology may give domestic players a structural advantage in achieving early commercial scale.
Continue reading at Business | The Guardian.