Two flying cars, produced by Xpeng AeroHT, collided during a rehearsal for the Changchun Air Show in northeastern China. The incident involved a mid-air crash, with one vehicle reportedly catching fire upon landing. According to a statement from the company to Reuters, individuals present at the scene were reported safe; however, CNN cited an anonymous source within the company indicating that one person sustained injuries.
Footage circulated on the Chinese social media platform Weibo depicted a flaming vehicle that fire engines were attending to. Xpeng AeroHT confirmed that one of the cars suffered fuselage damage and ignited upon landing. The company stated that local authorities efficiently carried out on-site emergency measures.
The flying cars are designed to take off and land vertically, with a planned retail price of around $300,000. As of January, Xpeng claimed to have received approximately 3,000 orders for these vehicles. Xpeng is one of the prominent electric vehicle manufacturers globally and is expanding its market into Europe. The flying cars are produced through its subsidiary, AeroHT.
Despite the advancement in technology, significant challenges remain for flying cars, including infrastructure, regulatory issues, and societal acceptance. Nevertheless, some industry analysts suggest that China aims to replicate its success in the electric vehicle sector by promoting early adoption of flying cars, with ambitions to become a leader in the emerging “low-altitude economy.” Additionally, a European flying car firm was acquired by a Chinese company last year, indicating increasing interest in this sector.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn5qk4de997o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss