A decade ago, the phrase ‘Flying Cars’ had always been used in a futuristic sense. Just like how technology has transformed the idea of ‘Robotic House help’ into today’s ‘Roomba’, making real-time translation and even 3D printing possible- today, we have witnessed the world’s first public flight of a flying car. The pioneering ‘eVTOL X2’ at GITEX 2022.

The flying two-seater car designed by a Chinese manufacturer of electric vehicles XPeng sailed over its spectators at Skydive Dubai and successfully completed its 90-minute test flight on Monday morning. The demonstration of the future of travel has opened doors to short-haul flights and AI-driven mobility solutions such as zero carbon dioxide emissions and low-altitude flying. With a maximum flight speed of 130 kilometres per hour, the ‘safest electric flying car’ can take off with a weight of 760 kg, which means that two people along with their luggage can fly without much of an issue.

Based on media reports, the initial plan is to deliver only a few units of X2 and later, XPeng will start deliveries in the year 2024 at rumoured costs in 7-8 digit figures. The machine is about 5 meters in length, 4.78 meters in width and 1.36 meters in height. It has many special features including radar ranging, autonomous flying, an automatically dipped safety parachute and an obstetric avoidance system.

Written by Ana Fernendes