Flying into the sky with a car? Nowadays, more and more companies are committed to bringing this dream "to reality". Recently, Xiaopeng Huitian Flying Motor Vehicle Voyager X2, a subsidiary of Xiaopeng Motors, soared in the sky and completed its first overseas public flight in Dubai .
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In recent years, smart flying cars are becoming a hot topic, and many companies including domestic car companies, multinational car companies, technology giants, etc. have been exploring in this field. How far is the flying car from us? Xiaopeng Huitian gave a timetable for "mass production as soon as 2024". However, in the view of industry insiders, due to multiple constraints such as technology, cost, current regulations, it is difficult to commercialize the new species of flying cars.
X2 can fly at low altitude in the future
Skydiving Sports Center SkyDive Dubai is a flying holy place in Dubai. On October 10, a flying car developed and manufactured from China became the shining protagonist of the sky.
After obtaining a licensed flight permit issued by the Dubai Civil Aviation Administration, X2 chose to complete its first public flight display during the 42nd "GITEX GLOBAL" exhibition in Dubai. Under the witness of the Chinese Consulate General in Dubai, Dubai International Chamber of Commerce, Dubai Civil Aviation Administration, Dubai Economic and Tourism Bureau, Dubai World Trade Center and other representatives, four groups of helix around the X2 rotated at high speed, driving the X2 to slowly take off.
The first flight ceremony, Xiaopeng Motors Vice Chairman and President Gu Hongdi excitedly said that the reason why he chose to put the first flight in Dubai is because Dubai is a world-renowned "city of innovation", likes to accept new things, and has forward-looking thinking and layout for future transportation.
It is reported that the X2 adopts a closed cockpit, presenting a droplet-like shape with a sense of technology. In order to achieve lightweight, the entire body of the X2 adopts a carbon fiber structure. It can carry two passengers, suitable for low-altitude flights in future cities, can meet the needs of short-distance travel within the city, and can also serve outdoor rescue, medical transportation and other scenarios.
companies are scrambling to develop flying cars
Human exploration of flying cars can be traced back to a hundred years ago. In recent years, with the gradual maturity and popularization of smart electric car technology, a new round of carnival has emerged on the track of smart electric flying cars. The competition and layout are both traditional multinational car companies such as General Motors, Porsche , Volkswagen, as well as domestic car companies such as Geely , Xiaopeng , and GAC. They also include technology giant companies such as Google , Intel , and Uber . According to incomplete statistics, as of 2021, more than 200 companies or institutions around the world have been developing flying car products, with about 420 models.
Flying cars have also triggered a pursuit of capital. Among domestic companies, Ehang Intelligent was listed in the United States in 2019, becoming the world's first listed flying car company; in addition, Weihang Technology, Fengfei Aviation , Xiaopeng Huitian and others have also received multiple rounds of huge financing. Last year, five flying car companies from the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and the four countries of , Brazil and were listed in the United States.
Under the capital popularity, some companies have also produced results one after another. In addition to Xiaopeng Huitian, Geely Flying Automobile TF-1 has completed a test flight, achieving a maximum flight altitude of 3,000 meters and a range of 640 kilometers. Geely also stated that the pure electric vertical take-off and landing 5-seat flight TF-2 is under development and is expected to make its first flight by the end of this year. Volkswagen Group (China) has exhibited its first electric vertical take-off and landing manned aircraft prototype - V.MO. The flying car jointly run by Boeing and Porsche, two overseas giants, has undergone test flights, with a current range of about 80.4 kilometers. Toyota Flying Car has been tested and is currently in the continuous research and development stage.
Dreams "turn into reality" are full of resistance
However, while more and more companies have entered the market, some companies have also left the market sadly. Recently, Kitty Hawk, a flying car company invested by Google's co-founder, announced that it will be shut down soon, revealing the "dark corner" behind the high popularity of flying cars.
"Flying cars are still in an awkward period."Automotive industry analyst Zhang Xiang said that whether it is in the light of relevant supporting policies or high costs, flying cars are still in the early stages, and it is too early to talk about application implementation and commercialization.
"At present, flying cars still focus on the functions of flight, and car-related functions are relatively poor. "Zhang Xiang believes that there is still a big gap between flying cars and people's imagination. For enthusiasts, buying small aircraft has more advantages in terms of cost-effectiveness and flight experience. Cui Dongshu, secretary-general of the China Passenger Association, also said: "Flying cars are still far away. For some car companies, the more important thing at the moment is to sell good cars. "
, but players who are actively entering the game may not think so. After completing their first overseas flight, Xiaopeng Huitian said that it will announce the latest development progress of the next generation of flying cars in the near future. Its founder He Xiaopeng also said that flying cars may be mass-produced as soon as 2024, and the expected price is around one million yuan.
acquired the American flying car company Taili, thus establishing Wofei Changkong, which has entered the flying car field, is also actively promoting the landing of flying cars. Previously, Taili Flying Auto TF-1 has taken the lead in obtaining the airworthiness certificate issued by the FAA , with a pre-sale price in North America of US$280,000.
Industry insiders analyzed that although it is still far from ordinary consumers, judging from the direction of promotion of companies such as Xiaopeng and Geely, flying cars may be the first to implement in certain specific commercial scenarios.
(Original title: How far is the car "flying into reality"? )
Source: Beijing Daily Reporter Zhao Yuhan
Process Editor: U022
