A sports car with sinuous lines that can fly. We are not talking about the star of the latest sci-fi film, but the eVTOL, a futuristic creation by the Chinese brand AeroHT. The flying car was presented at the CES in Las Vegas and is a hybrid vehicle. The adjective does not refer to its propulsion, which is 100% electric, but rather to its nature, since it can travel on the road like a sports car and can turn into a drone by pressing a button. It is a unique vehicle that combines the qualities of a four-wheeled coupé and those of an eVTOL device, capable, therefore, of taking off vertically and equipped with four carbon arms at the end of which as eight propellers are mounted. The aerial module retracts when the vehicle needs to operate as ground transport, disappearing into the roof and making itself invisible.
Coupé shape for the benefit of aerodynamics
The need to accommodate the flight technical equipment in the rear of the vehicle led the designers to draw the eVTOL with an elongated coupé shape, for the benefit of aerodynamics. The comparison with mid-engined sports cars comes easily, but here, instead of the power unit behind the seats, a large compartment was created for the flight module. The idea of a vehicle halfway between a drone and a car has also profoundly influenced the design of the interior, which can be transformed from a two-seater cabin to a cockpit, merging various elements from the worlds of aviation and automobiles. When switching to “Flight” mode, the retractable steering wheel disappears and the joystick remains, allowing control of what will soon become a real four-wheeled drone. The transformation also involves all the digital instrumentation, from the transmission of the car’s navigation and infotainment data to the flight maps.
Left, Tan Wang, Co-founder and Vice President of Xpeng AeroHT, Xpeng Motors Design General Manager. Right, Rafik Ferrag, Xpeng AeroHT Head of Design, Xpeng Motors Exterior Design Director
Lightness, a fundamental element
Among the most difficult challenges was lightness, a fundamental element in common between sports cars and aircraft. The entire eVTOL was made from composite materials that allowed the designers to create attractive and rather aggressive shapes. The eVTOL is the only flying car designed by Xpeng AeroHT and is still a concept car for now, but those who want to fly in the short term can opt for the Land Aircraft Carrier. The model will be available for pre-order from the end of the year while the first deliveries to customers will begin in the last quarter of 2025
Between a minivan and a pick-up truck
The architecture of the Land Aircraft can be considered somewhere between a minivan and a pick-up truck and consists of two modules: a ground (non-flying) vehicle driven by an electric motor and, housed in its rear compartment, a zero-emission aircraft capable of take-offs, vertical landings and low-altitude flights. When the eVTOL is in the body of the ground module, it can be recharged several times, using the vehicle’s battery; the vehicle has a four-wheel drive, three axles (the rear one is also steerable) and even six wheels for maximum grip. The body is tailor-made to accommodate the flying module: the latter consists of a squared-off body and a large glass pane that provides a 270-degree panoramic view for the two people it can accommodate.
Versatility and functionality
The final design of the vehicle is still under development, but Wang Tan, founder and president of Xpeng AeroHT, said that “all key tests of the R&D validation phase have been completed and preparations for production are underway”. The drone, which rests in the Aircraft Carrier when not in use, operates with six rotors, but can also fly with only four in case two stop working. Xpeng AeroHT’s designers have also thought about safety: the aircraft is equipped with a parachute that can withstand up to a thousand kilograms of weight and deploys 50 metres above the ground. In short, this hybrid vehicle halfway between a van and a pick-up is also capable of transforming into a camper van with specific equipment and is designed for great adventures, trips out of town or as a ground ‘base’ during air explorations.
