Car That Also Flies - XPeng's X3

 XPeng X3 eVTOL Successful Test Flight

                                            Source: XPeng

Unique Flying Car Technology

China-based eVTOL startup XPeng has just successfully completed the 1st full test flight of its 2-ton, all-electric flying car X3 in Beijing.  The flying car contains unique aviation and automotive technologies.  It is a real flying and driving car with vertical takeoff and landing capabilities.  If the EV encounters an obstacle like a river or traffic jam, it can vertically take-off, flying over the obstruction, land and then resume driving. X3 offers new possibilities in mobility.  It's the stuff that a commuting dream is made of.  It's a zero-emissions, fully electric, flying and driving car that is just about production ready. It has become one of the most promising EVs in the highly competitive global race to take a flying car to market.

Combo Car & Plane:  2-in-1 Tech

According to XPeng, the X3 operates like any conventional car while driving.  But what is unconventional is that the steering wheel and right-hand gear shift also operate as the levers of flight control for forward, backward, ascent, turning, climbing, hovering and descent during flight.  X3 is 2-in-1 travel tech. To become airborne, X3 extends 4 rotor booms, each with a pair of rotors, on the roof and lifts off.  Essentially, it's a multicopter lift system. 

More Tech Specs

X3 has 8 electric motors, each attached to an 11.5-foot diameter propeller.  The huge-rotor lift system with the 4 beams are mounted on the top of the car body.  The company says the rotor system easily deploys for flight and conveniently folds down for driving. X3 is a heavy flying machine at 4,374 pounds and at the moment can carry only 2 people.  For reliability and safety, it has an advanced flight control system and a dual engine backup system.  It's just about production ready.  More testing and refinement of the EV will be done but XPeng says it is 80% ready to go into mass production.  The company has not provided data on range, speed and pricing.  For more news stories like this, The Future of Flying