Xpeng to mass produce “Flying Cars”: Check out the company’s plan for India

By 2027, XPeng aims to begin mass production of its two part “flying car” system, which combines an eVTOL aircraft with a carrier vehicle. The company claims it has already received more than 7,000 orders, which shows that there is a lot of early interest. However, the timeline depends heavily on securing the necessary government approvals, since China's aviation authorities will have the final say on whether this ambitious goal can be achieved.

Xpeng, a Chinese competitor of Tesla, appears to be aiming to develop into a more comprehensive mobility company rather than just an electric vehicle manufacturer. In an interview with Reuters, company president Brian Gu stated that Xpeng intends to start producing and delivering "flying cars" at scale in 2027. However, this refers to a two-part system that consists of an electric carrier vehicle and a separately transportable eVTOL aircraft with space for two people, rather than a traditional car that takes off on its own. The vehicle is called the Land Aircraft Carrier, which was most recently displayed at CES 2025.

The Land Aircraft Carrier is a product of Xpeng's subsidiary, Xpeng AeroHT, which currently operates abroad under the name "Aridge." The first deliveries might start as early as the end of 2026, according to Xpeng President Brian Gu. According to Xpeng, the majority of the company’s pre-orders come from China.

However, one key requirement still stands in the way of series production: the aircraft must first receive approval from China’s aviation authorities. Safety certification is likely to be the biggest hurdle, as regulators treat the eVTOL as an aircraft rather than a car.

Xpeng Global Expansion and Plan for India

With operations in about 60 countries outside China, Xpeng already generates 15% of its revenue from international markets. Within the next five to ten years, the company hopes to derive over 50% of its revenue from sources outside China, according to Brian Gu. The Chinese EV manufacturer is likely also considering the German market, given its current partnership with Volkswagen. However, Xpeng would have to deal with multiple aviation authorities before the flying vehicle could be sold in other markets.

As of now, the company has not said anything about the launch of this product in the Indian market. However, last year, in an interview with Economic Times, Mr. Gu said that “India has vast potential” as a market, but it also faces several challenges in terms of EV adoption rates. Mr. Gu also said, “I would say it is a market that we are monitoring. We do not have a timetable yet, but in the long run, I see India as a very promising market for overall EVs as well as future mobility products,” according to a report by Economic Times.

The vehicle has raised safety concerns among netizens. In addition, doubts about the vehicle’s practicality have also been raised, with some users viewing this as an early step toward a potentially intriguing long-term technology.