Electric vehicle start-up Xpeng unveiled its first pay-generation prototype for a flying vehicle at the Beijing Auto Show on September 26, 2020.
Evelyn Cheng
BEIJING – Alibaba-backed Expang is putting money into flying car techno into G as part of its long-term strategy.
Electric auto Tomcat unveiled at the Beijing Auto Toe Show on Saturday, the first in a series of electric flying vehicles the start-up said it was developing.
With eight propellers and a capsule-like frame, the vehicle looks more like a human-carrying drone than a flying car. The prototype was developed by Xpeng Hi-Tech, a technology unit with Xepeng as CEO and Xingping as CEO.
The unit is part of the company’s long-term research and development, and the core business and growth strategy remains the same, Xpeng said in a release. The company expects to benefit from research in areas such as precision and mapping techniques.
According to Expang, the flying vehicle can hold two passengers and is designed for low altitudes of 5 meters to 25 meters (16.4 feet to 82 feet). The project is in a concept phase, and the company said it would evaluate the feasibility of the space before proceeding with any significant investment.
In an interview on the sidelines of the Beijing Auto Toe Show on Saturday, Brian Gue, vice chairman and president of Expang, told CNBC that “really thinking about dynamics in a larger context is a long-term R&D exploration for us.”
“We think that in the future electric vehicles will be very exciting not only smart mobility autonomous driving features, but with other technologies, enabling other devices that can create a multi-dimensional ecosystem.” “That’s why we’re investing in that area, and doing a little bit of research.”
Regulation is a major obstacle in the development of human-carrying drones and self-driving cars.
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