XPeng says two-seat flying vehicle could enter limited use in China in 2027

Chinese company XPeng says its two-seat flying vehicle could be ready for use in the second half of 2027.

The company says it is intended at first for recreational users in rural areas and emergency services.

China’s civil aviation authorities have approved it for limited use, after a decade of development and testing.

Despite its name, the vehicle has no wheels: six battery-powered propellers lift it, and it can be steered by joystick or fly to a programmed destination.

It will only be allowed in approved park areas or for emergency work, and its current flight range is 30km.

The launch is part of China’s wider effort to develop a low-altitude economy, including drones and flying vehicles.

XPeng says the vehicle may later reach markets beyond China, but it has not given a date for that expansion.