Newsletters
Two electric flying cars collided during a rehearsal for the upcoming Changchun Air Show in northeastern China’s Jilin Province on Tuesday, according to reports on Chinese social media, as the city prepared for the five-day event scheduled to begin later this week.
The vehicles, developed by AeroHT, a subsidiary of Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng, were performing in close formation when they crashed mid-air. According to a company statement, one of the vehicles caught fire upon landing after sustaining fuselage damage.
Xpeng AeroHT said that "all personnel at the scene are safe" and confirmed that local authorities quickly implemented emergency procedures. However, CNN, citing a company employee who requested anonymity, reported that one pilot suffered minor injuries.
The company attributed the collision to "insufficient spacing" between the two aircraft, adding that an investigation into the cause of the accident has been launched.
The flying cars, officially known as electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles, are designed to operate like small aircraft capable of lifting off and landing without runways. Xpeng aims to sell the vehicles for around $300,000 each, and earlier this year claimed to have received about 3,000 orders.
Xpeng is among the largest electric vehicle manufacturers in China and has recently expanded operations into Europe. Its AeroHT subsidiary describes itself as Asia’s largest flying car company.
Breaking News, Direct to You.
Follow Türkiye Today on WhatsApp
for real-time updates and key insights from Türkiye and beyond.
China accelerates efforts to develop what it calls a "low-altitude economy," which includes technologies such as flying taxis and drone-based logistics operating below 3,000 meters.
China’s civil aviation regulator projects that this emerging sector could reach a market size of $206 billion by 2025 and expand further to $482 billion by 2035, according to state-run media. Beyond passenger transport, manufacturers are promoting applications in tourism, agriculture, logistics, and disaster relief.
By 2023, China had more than 2,000 drone manufacturers and over 20,000 companies engaged in unmanned aerial vehicle operations.
1 min read
2 min read
