Chinese electric vehicle startup Xpeng is preparing to launch an eVTOL into the air to secure a critical regulatory greenlight.
Xpeng and Xpeng’s founder He Xiaopeng’s Aeroht has just received special flight clearance from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the equivalent of the US Federal Aviation Administration. This approval allows Aeroto’s X2 electric vertical take-off aircraft to fly with a pilot under special conditions. With the approval, Aeroht says it will begin a series of manned flight tests to accumulate data in preparation for future mass production.
Described by Aeroht as a “flying car,” the X2 is a wheelless, two-seater carbon fiber quadcopter, but concept photos on the company’s website show the company’s next-generation aircraft looks like a sedan with wings. am.
At the moment, the X2 is “designed for future low-altitude urban flights and is ideal for short-range urban travel such as tourism and medical transport,” says its product information. It can be operated manually or in an autonomous mode that automates start, return and landing maneuvers.model Since its first flight in June 2021, it has made over 3,000 test flights.
Aeroht is one of two independently funded ventures from nine-year-old Xpeng. In October 2021, the company closed his $500 million Series A round led by IDG Capital, 5Y Capital and Xpeng himself. Remember the rideable robot pony for kids?This is another of his projects at Xpeng, Xpeng Robotics, which he raised a $100 million Series A round last July. IDG Capital is again the lead backer, with Xpeng on board.
Xpeng is pursuing these new ambitions at a time when its flagship EV business faces a speed bump. The automaker has postponed its profit target until 2025 after a disappointing 2022 when it missed half of its annual sales target, Bloomberg reported earlier this week. It faces price competition from established Chinese EV maker BYD, which focuses on EVs, and Tesla, which has slashed prices several times to lure frugal consumers in the world’s largest car market.
