XPeng Plans to Launch Two-Seat Flying Vehicle in 2027
The head of Chinese electric carmaker XPeng says the company's two-seat aircraft could reach users and rescue services in China in the second half of 2027. Initial flights will be tightly restricted, and urban traffic use is not planned.
Deli Zhao, head of Chinese electric carmaker XPeng, said at the Web Summit Lisbon technology conference that the company's two-seat flying vehicle could reach users and rescue services in China as early as the second half of 2027. The product that reaches the market will be an aircraft built for specific conditions rather than an everyday means of transport.
How the vehicle works
It is a battery-powered, helicopter-like aircraft with drone-style propellers. It is carried in a special six-wheeled van: the aircraft itself does not drive on roads, but unfolds from the van, takes off and returns to it after the flight. It can fly autonomously to a preprogrammed destination and has an obstacle detection system.
Zhao told the conference audience that he could teach someone to fly it in about five minutes. However, official licensing and insurance requirements for consumers have not yet been set.
Price and restrictions
The full package, including the aircraft and the van, will cost about €270,900, so it will appeal only to a narrow group of early adopters. Chinese civil aviation authorities have granted a limited-use permit only for certain park areas and remote rescue routes that are hard to reach by road. Flights in city traffic are not planned in the near term.
XPeng is targeting adventure enthusiasts – divers, surfers, off-road drivers and recreational pilots – as well as emergency services.
Wider context
The project fits into the Chinese government's push toward the so-called "low-altitude economy", which covers drones, cargo transport and new passenger services. XPeng has worked on the aircraft for about ten years.
Zhao also commented on competitors, describing the flying Tesla model demonstrated by Elon Musk as "more jumping than real flying". The high price, restricted flight zones and unresolved licensing questions mean that what reaches the market in 2027 will be an aircraft for specific conditions, not the science-fiction flying car.
