Xpeng launches flying car that can also operate on roads

GUANGZHOU, China — HT Aero, an affiliate of Chinese language electrical automobile maker Xpeng Inc., launched a brand new flying automobile on Sunday that it says may drive on roads.

The corporate says it plans for a rollout in 2024.

HT Aero’s automobile may have a light-weight design and a rotor that folds away, the corporate stated. That can enable the automobile to drive on roads after which fly as soon as the rotors are expanded.

The automobile may have quite a lot of security options together with parachutes, the corporate stated.

HT Aero is backed by Xpeng and its founder He Xiaopeng. The corporate raised $500 million final week from quite a lot of exterior traders together with high-profile enterprise capital companies.

Flying vehicles — additionally referred to as electrical vertical take-off and touchdown autos — have garnered a lot of interest from automakers and start-ups.

Nevertheless, there are a selection of challenges for these autos to grow to be wide-scale together with regulation and issues of safety.

HT Aero’s new land and air automobile was launched at Xpeng’s Tech Day the place the corporate additionally took the wraps of the newest model of its superior driver help system referred to as XPILOT 4.0.