text: Original by Dongchedi Xing Qiuhong
[Original by Dongchedi Industry] Human beings are always full of imagination about future travel.
Image source: "Back to the Future"
In "Westworld", future cars do not need to be driven by people; in "Fifth Element" and "Back to the Future", future cars can even fly...
There is such a group of people who have been working hard for cars to "go to the sky".
Xiaopeng Huitian Flying Automobile Voyager X2 real flight screen
On October 10,Xiaopeng Huitian Flying Automobile Voyager X2 completed its first overseas public flight in Dubai . This is the first public flight display locally after the Dubai Civil Aviation Administration issued a license for X2. On the upcoming Xiaopeng 1024 Technology Day, Xiaopeng Huitian will also showcase a new generation of flying cars.
However, even though the flying car has been on the sky for a short time, so far, most consumers will still shake their heads when mentioning this term and say: It doesn't sound reliable. What is the application scenario of
flying cars? What are the cost control and commercialization prospects? How to ensure that the flying car will not "fall" while driving? Not long ago, Emperor Dongche interviewed Zhao Deli, president of Xiaopeng Huitian, and talked about the new species of flying cars.
What is a flying car?
Flying car, as the name implies, can fly in the air or on land, and can transform from a road car into an airplane.
Voyager X2
According to Zhao Deli, "The 'road-air integrated' flying car we developed is essentially a car with flight functions. When driving on the road, it is the same as an ordinary smart electric car , and does not require additional driving skills or qualifications."
's vision is beautiful, but I believe many friends will think of some problems like me.
First of all, how to balance the two different species of aircraft and cars?
For example, the aircraft's driving position does not need to consider too much comfort, it only needs to take into account the dashboard, operating table, etc. Even a very important indicator in the automotive field - the quietness of the cockpit, has almost no need to consider, everything has to make way for flight.
But what about a car? Comfortable seats, luxurious cockpits, and ultimate handling performance are almost indispensable.
Traveler X2 is obvious. Traveler X2 has tried its best to balance these two, making it easier for consumers to accept. The Voyager X2 uses an enclosed cockpit and can accommodate two people. The two horizontal screens in the car can display various information related to flight, and the vertical screen in the middle can perform operations related to the aircraft.
Secondly, what should I do if the battery life is lasting?
In 2021, the Wang Chaoyang team at the Electrochemical Engine Center of the University of Pennsylvania developed a thermally controlled battery that is more suitable for vertical take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOL). The relevant results were published in the magazine "Joule". The paper points out that electric batteries of flying cars need to overcome many aspects such as high energy density, high power density, fast charging, long cycle life and high safety.
The most challenging one is, "high energy density will reduce the charging speed, while fast charging will usually reduce the charging cycle."
Voyager X2's actual range is 35 minutes
The current Voyager X2's actual range is 35 minutes, with a maximum speed of 130 kilometers per hour and a flight altitude of 1,000 meters. Compared with many previous flying car products, this data has been greatly improved, but it is still limited to short-distance.
Finally, let the plane be driven the same as driving? How to break the technical barriers between the two?
If you look at the current display model of the Voyager X2, there are no handles, steering wheels and other configurations. According to reports, the X2 will be equipped with two driving modes: manual driving and automatic driving. Among them, the automatic driving function can automatically fly along the planned route according to the set flight altitude, flight speed, and flight time.
, Xiaopeng Huitian is developing the sixth generation flying car - Voyager X3, which has the characteristics of electric, intelligent, vertical take-off and landing, integrated road and air, and foldable deformation. When driving on land, it is more like a pure electric car.
Xiaopeng Huitian's 6th generation "flying car"
Ideal is full, but whether it is the Voyager X2 or Voyager X3, they are still in the design and experimental stages. In other words, there is still a long distance from commercialization. Not only technology, but also regulations.
However, Xiaopeng Huitian's eyes are not limited to the short term. Zhao Deli believes that in the next 10 to 20 years, air transportation, especially electric aviation, will be a major development trend.
Do we really need a flying car?
Under the news about Xiaopeng Huitian, you can always see such comments: "In the future, when walking on the road, we must not only guard against dangers on the road, but also against the 'flying cars' that may fall from the sky at any time?"
How to prevent flying cars from falling
I believe many netizens have similar views, and Musk, who is known for his "dare to think and do", is also firmly disliked flying cars. He believes: "If the flying cars in the future are as common as the cars today, it is inevitable that people will not always carefully maintain their vehicles. They will start to perfunctorily until a loose hub cover falls from the sky and kills an unlucky passerby."
Safety, how to ensure the most important safety?
From the perspective of battery, pure electric flying cars have higher requirements for batteries. It is understood that at present, Xiaopeng Huitian has developed a high-performance, high-safe high-safe flight power battery with a peak discharge rate of 10C, and the industry average can only reach 2-3C. It can support continuous cruise with large loads and is extremely powerful for land travel.
NASA developed a new solid-state battery
Not long ago, NASA also said that it developed a power battery with an energy density of 500 watt-hours/kilogram, with an energy density of more than twice that of Hyundai electric vehicle batteries. This battery has nearly doubled its discharge capacity and can continue to improve in the future. However, this battery may be the best for aircraft and transportation.
"In our future configuration design, the power system will be backed up redundantly. Any problem with a single rotor or a single power battery will not affect the flight or safe landing of the flying car."
Even if safety issues are not considered, what is the commercial scenario for expensive flying cars?
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is visible. Under certain conditions, flying cars have the possibility of commercialization, but there are still problems on a large scale.
Zhao Deli believes: "At present, companies in the flying car track have not yet been commercialized. Xiaopeng Huitian's products are still C-end vehicles and have unlimited development potential."
Now flying cars cannot "go to the sky" as they please
Flying cars are just taking the second step in the series of steps of developing products - realizing mass production - going on sale - opening the market. There are still quite a few problems to solve whenever they want to let everyone commute in a flying car.
Of course, we cannot examine the future from the perspective of the present, but now flying cars cannot "go to the sky" as they wish.
