Xpeng flying cars collide during air show rehearsal in China

BEIJING – Two flying cars from a unit of Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng reportedly collided when airborne at a rehearsal on Sept 16 for the Changchun air show, raising fresh questions over the safety of the technology.

Upon landing, one of the so-called electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOLs) caught fire, while the other was able to make it to the ground safely, said Xpeng Aeroht, a start-up that became a subsidiary of the EV maker in 2020, in a statement.

Footage of the incident showed black smoke billowing from the crashed eVTOL on a flat grassy field, with fire trucks nearby.

The two craft flew too close together and came into contact with each other while rehearsing.

The authorities have now cleared the scene and are investigating the cause, Xpeng Aeroht said.

The incident could be a setback for Xpeng Aeroht, which had been gearing up to start deliveries of its Land Aircraft Carrier – a regular EV that comes with a separate eVTOL module. The Land Aircraft Carrier is currently available for order in China and is expected to enter mass production in 2026.

China has long promoted the prospect of a low-altitude economy that would benefit the eVTOL industry and help push mass deployment. But questions remain over the safety and reliability of flying craft that would carry people over short distances. It is envisaged that many would also be pilotless.

Xpeng Aeroht said no one was hurt although an ambulance was also spotted at the scene on Sept 16. Fire trucks sprayed water to put out the flames engulfing the damaged flying car, videos shared on social media showed. A representative of the company did not immediately respond to questions about potential injuries.

The eVTOL accident follows Xpeng’s recall last week of the majority of its P7+ electric sedans due to a steering fault. Bloomberg