Two flying cars from Xpeng collide during aerial tests in China
Xpeng is one of the Chinese automotive brands working on the development of its own "flying cars", known as eVTOLs. During a rehearsal for a major event, two of the prototypes ended up colliding.
The future of the automotive industry will, at some point, involve flying cars. This is something that is expected to happen a long, long time from now, especially in the way we can imagine. The closest are the so-called eVTOLs.
These electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles are very close to becoming a reality, as there are several companies and startups worldwide that have made significant progress in the development of their respective prototypes.
Xpeng, a manufacturer of premium electric cars and already present in Spain, is one of the key players in this regard. However, the latest headlines coming from China are far from positive.
Aerial accident involving two Xpeng eVTOLs
Xpeng Aeroht is the brand of the Chinese company dedicated to the development of this type of eVTOL vehicles. Although it originated in 2013, it was formally established in 2020, while the launch of its first serious product in this field was last year. But let's return to the news itself.
During the preliminary tests for the Changchun Airshow in China, two prototypes from Xpeng Aeroht ended up colliding while flying. One was able to land, but the other crashed to the ground and caught fire. Chinese sources report that one person had to be taken to the hospital with injuries, but their life is not in danger.
Although the causes are still unknown, it is suggested that the two flying vehicles were operating without a safe distance between them during a training simulation of these aircraft.
Xpeng is working on the development not only of these eVTOLs but also has its own ground carrier (LAC): a vehicle that can deploy this flying vehicle from its rear, as well as charge its battery. Its success was such that it received over 2,000 orders at the time of its official announcement, at a price of 2 million yuan (about 237,000 euros at the current exchange rate).
Xpeng's eVTOLs, which have been participating in various airshows around the world for some time, have the ability to operate in autonomous mode or with manual control. Fortunately, at the time of the collision, there were no spectators. It is unknown whether it was due to human error, a technical failure of the aircraft, or a planning error in the route of both prototypes.
The news should not be taken as a setback in the aspirations for this type of vehicle, but it serves as a warning about the complexity of these aircraft and the future need for regulations that ensure the safety of these flying vehicles and others, as we must remember that their operational environment would be at low altitudes, between 300 and 500 meters.
Fuente: CarNewsChina.com
