Xpeng Aero HT Unveils the Future of Transportation: The Land Aircraft Carrier
Step aside, sci-fi movies; a modular flying car is becoming reality. At CES 2025, Xpeng Aero HT, the aerospace arm of Chinese EV pioneer Xpeng, introduced the world to its latest marvel – the Land Aircraft Carrier. This futuristic vehicle is essentially an electric minivan that houses a nifty foldable eVTOL (electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing) vehicle, ready to take to the skies at a moment’s notice.
- 3,000 intent orders already received
- Mass production set to begin this year
- First deliveries anticipated in 2026
- Price point: under $300,000
The Land Aircraft Carrier is aimed at adventurous individuals with substantial financial means and has potential applications in emergency search and rescue operations, according to an Aero HT spokesperson. Starting in China, Xpeng aims to expand internationally, with its innovative approach blending practicality with visionary design.
“Our goal is to make personal air travel accessible and convenient,” said Brian Gu, vice chairman and president of Xpeng.
{Brian Gu}
The vehicle combines the convenience of driving with the thrill of flying. Simply drive to a suitable take-off site, issue a command, and watch as the eVTOL detaches and unfolds for flight. After your aerial adventure, reconnect it back into the “mothership” for seamless transition back to road travel.
While this might sound like something out of a sci-fi novel, the Land Aircraft Carrier has achieved type certification – a major milestone indicating readiness for production. It has even completed its first public crewed flight demonstration. Aero HT’s production facility in Guangzhou is on track to produce up to 10,000 units once operational by year-end.
“We are committed to revolutionizing urban mobility,” an Aero HT spokesperson highlighted.
{Aero HT Spokesperson}
The company has been raising significant capital to realize this vision. With $150 million secured in Series B1 funding in 2024 and $500 million from Series A in 2021, Aero HT is financially gearing up for large-scale production. However, scaling will require further investment.
Beyond Phase One: Future Plans
This Land Aircraft Carrier is just the beginning. Xpeng Aero HT envisions subsequent phases involving a high-speed tiltrotor vehicle for urban air mobility networks and an eVTOL flying car integrating land-air urban transportation systems seamlessly.
Design and Functionality
The ground module or “mothership” is reminiscent of Canoo’s Lifestyle Delivery Vehicle with hints of Tesla’s Cybertruck. Designed like an Earth-adapted lunar rover, it features a floating roof and retractable rearview mirrors. Despite housing an eVTOL, it comfortably seats four passengers and serves as a mobile charging station.
- 800-volt silicon carbide power platform
- Range over 621 miles
- Made from lightweight carbon fiber
- Equipped with intelligent flight assistance
Aero HT assures robust safety features with redundant designs across propulsion, power, communications, and more. Testing on 200 units aims to ensure reliability even under challenging conditions. And if you’re wondering about flight ease – single-stick control makes it user-friendly while also offering autonomous operation capabilities.
“With intelligent flight assistance and automated route planning, we’ve simplified aerial navigation,” Xpeng states confidently.
{Xpeng }
Xpeng Aero HT’s ambitious CES announcement has undeniably set high expectations. As we await further developments, one thing is clear – the future of transportation might just be airborne.
