Chinese EV maker XPeng has achieved a world-first milestone: the start of serial production for its innovative Land Aircraft Carrier - a modular vehicle that combines a road-legal electric van with a detachable aerial drone module capable of carrying passengers.
Launched at a new dedicated factory in Guangzhou in November 2025, the facility boasts an annual capacity of 10,000 units, a modest figure compared to traditional carmakers churning out hundreds of thousands but revolutionary in the nascent flying vehicle sector, where most competitors remain stuck at prototypes or limited test fleets.
Initial units rolling off the line will support certification flights and regulatory testing, with customer deliveries targeted for 2026. Priced around $280,000 in China for the complete system, the setup features a ground module (a six-wheel extended-range electric MPV) that houses and charges the foldable two-seat eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) air module in its rear compartment.
The two components communicate seamlessly for coordinated operations, such as automated docking and power sharing, but function independently: the van drives like any premium EV, while the drone flies with eight propellers and a 30-minute range at speeds up to 135 km/h.
XPeng boldly markets it as the "world's first practical flying car," but purists are quick to point out the distinction. Unlike true roadable aircraft—think Terrafugia or Klein Vision's AirCar, which convert the entire vehicle for flight—this is a hybrid system: a capable road vehicle paired with a dedicated passenger drone. The air module deploys in under two minutes, extending rotors and lifting off vertically without needing the ground unit attached.
This modular approach sidesteps many headaches plaguing integrated designs. A single vehicle forced to excel at both driving and flying often compromises on both - resulting in bulky, inefficient cars or underpowered, short-range aircraft with prohibitive costs. XPeng's separation allows the ground module to prioritize comfort, range (over 1,000 km on a charge plus gasoline extender), and everyday usability as a luxury minivan, while the air module focuses solely on safe, efficient flight with redundant systems and ballistic parachutes.
Regulatory hurdles are dramatically lower too. In China, where urban air mobility pilots are accelerating in cities like Guangzhou and Shenzhen, the drone qualifies under existing eVTOL frameworks rather than requiring entirely new "flying car" certifications. The ground portion simply meets standard automotive rules. This pragmatic strategy could enable faster rollout than competitors chasing fully integrated designs, which face decades-long battles with aviation authorities worldwide.
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XPeng's vision aligns with a growing consensus that personal air mobility will arrive incrementally: first as premium urban shuttles, then as modular add-ons for existing vehicles. With backing from the Guangzhou government and partnerships for vertiports, the company aims to make short-hop flights - bypassing traffic for commutes or weekend getaways - as routine as hailing a ride-share.
While skeptics dismiss it as a rich person's toy, the Land Aircraft Carrier represents a clever compromise: not a seamless sci-fi flying car, but a practical bridge between today's roads and tomorrow's skies. If regulatory green lights follow production scaling, XPeng may have cracked the code for bringing aerial mobility to the masses sooner than anyone expected - one detachable drone at a time.
Author: Slava Vasipenok
Founder and CEO of QUASA (quasa.io) — the world's first remote work platform with payments in cryptocurrency.
Innovative entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in IT, fintech, and blockchain. Specializes in decentralized solutions for freelancing, helping to overcome the barriers of traditional finance, especially in developing regions.
