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The AeroHT subsidiary, created by XPeng for the personal air mobility segment, is preparing the first scaled batch of a vehicle that combines a conventional electric car with a foldable aerial module capable of vertical takeoff, in a concept the company has named Land Aircraft Carrier, which has already accumulated thousands of preliminary orders.
XPeng, a Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer based in Guangzhou, announced that its subsidiary AeroHT will begin scaled delivery in 2027 of the world’s first hybrid flying car. The model, named Land Aircraft Carrier, combines an electric car and a foldable aerial module that takes off vertically.
The concept released by XPeng differs from pure eVTOLs that other Chinese companies are developing. Instead of a single aerial vehicle, there are two integrated bodies, with the car functioning as a transport base and landing platform for the flying module.
AeroHT reported that it registered thousands of preliminary orders even before production began. The 2024 China Airshow signaled commercial interest earlier than the sector had estimated possible.
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Chinese regulation for urban air mobility is still under construction in parallel. AeroHT expects final project approval from the country’s civil aviation authorities.
What separates the Land Aircraft Carrier from the pure eVTOL of other Chinese companies
Other Chinese competitors are taking different paths. AutoFlight, with the V5000 Matrix, bets on giant eVTOLs of 5 tons for regional routes and up to ten passengers, focusing on collective transport between cities.
EHang offers smaller autonomous eVTOLs with a remote pilot. Joby Aviation, an American company, is preparing an urban air taxi service for the airport-center niche. Each has a different bet on what the consumer will pay for.
XPeng AeroHT chose the personal final consumer niche. It is not a collective flying taxi nor a regional route; it is the car that will leave the parking lot and open the aerial module when traffic jams.
The unit cost has not been officially disclosed by AeroHT. The range practiced in the personal eVTOL segment in 2026 fluctuates between 200,000 and 300,000 dollars for the first Chinese models announced at retail, according to specialized coverage by Pandaily.
Scaling in 2027 depends on mass production of the aerial module. AeroHT opened an assembly line at XPeng’s industrial park in Guangzhou, according to the specialized Chinese press.
The flying module attached to the electric car has multiple rotors and uses its own internal batteries, separate from the base car’s. The engineering follows the typical multirotor standard of cargo drones but in a size that accommodates passengers and requires full aeronautical certification.
On the other side of the Pacific, American companies like Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation are still betting on urban air taxi operations with a human pilot. The business model difference with AeroHT is significant, and the outcome of which concept wins the final consumer is still an open bet in the industry.
For Brazil, the direct impact is still distant. There is a lack of regulation at Decea for urban eVTOL air traffic, a lack of ANAC certification for external manufacturers, and a lack of vertiport infrastructure in metropolises.
XPeng is no stranger to accelerated international expansion. The automaker deployed the first mass-produced Chinese L4 robotaxi in Guangzhou, with a 3,000 TOPS chip, less than a week ago.
The movement of Chinese companies pre-announcing 2027 is not exclusive to it. Changan and Chery promised mass production of solid-state batteries with 1,500 km range for 2027, and the announcement calendar is starting to overlap.
I confess that I look at this Land Aircraft Carrier and wonder if it is the type of product that scales or if it becomes an elite hobby. The final price is what will tell.
In 2027, if the schedule is confirmed, XPeng will put a vehicle that flies out of the shopping mall in Chinese garages. Brazil watches from afar, without regulation and without a local manufacturer at the table.
Sources: NewsMotor, XPeng Motors, Pandaily, Hindustan Times.
Do you believe that hybrid flying cars will become a reality in Brazilian garages before the end of this decade, or will it remain a thing only in China until 2035?
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