The very first public flight of the XPeng X2 electric flying car has been completed
More than 150 people witnessed the very first global public flight of the XPeng X2 electric flying car at the recent SkyDive Dubai event held at the Dubai World Trade Center for the GITEX Global tech show on Monday. XPeng Motors completed a 90-minute unmanned flight of their X2 over the city.
The XPeng X2 electric flying car passed the specific operations risk assessment and received a special flying permit from the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA). DCAA reviewers gave the XPeng X2 high marks for stability and standardization of the operation process during the public flight.
“We are making step-by-step to the international market,” said Xpeng’s general manager Minguan Qiu. “First we selected Dubai city because Dubai is the most innovative city in the world.”
Equipped with eight propellers with two at every corner of the vehicle, the two- passenger X2 features a carbon fiber teardrop design and an enclosed cockpit for aerodynamic performance. Light in weight, it’s able to hit a max speed of 80 mph with its two driving modes. The manual mode is self explanatory, while the autonomous mode allows for start-up, soaring, and landing with just a simple touch of a button. According to the company, the aircraft can fly up to 3,200 feet for about 35 minutes while producing zero emissions.
Each passenger inside the XPeng X2 electric flying car is provided with a dedicated LCD display that shows flight information. To help the passengers with their flying modes and settings, a tablet is also provided that’s located within the gearbox. In order to allow passengers to travel safely during the night without creating blind spots for others, the exterior of the X2 has been lined with various lighting.
XPeng Motors only showcased their fifth generation model of the X2 at SkyDive Dubai, but are currently under development for a sixth gen model packed with upgraded features. More details will be revealed at the upcoming 1024 XPeng Tech Day later this month.