XPeng’s AeroHT flexes its eVTOL expertise, taking its X2 flying car to the skies above Guangzhou

As many eVTOL developers are gearing up for their first-ever flights, AeroHT continues to showcase why it’s one of the leaders in the segment. Earlier today, XPeng’s aerial arm conducted its first successful flight test in its all-electric X2 “flying car” eVTOL above the Chinese city of Guangzhou to test low-altitude scenarios for future transport and sightseeing routes.

AeroHT, fka XPeng Huitian, is an eVTOL-centric entity of XPeng Inc., majority-owned by the company and its founder, He Xiaopeng. Since beginning operations over a decade ago, AeroHT has conducted tens of thousands of safe flights, collecting data to develop safe, domestic electric aircraft for commercial use.

The company is, in fact, developing an actual flying car called the X3 that can drive, park, and take off on its own. XPeng has also debuted an EV that transports a separate eVTOL in its rear, which is expected to enter scaled production in 2025.

That said, AeroHT is probably further developing its X2 eVTOL, described as a “flying car,” despite its lack of wheels, because it shares body design DNA with XPeng’s P7 sedan.

As AeroHT’s fifth-generation eVTOL, the X2 has completed thousands of test flights since its maiden takeoff in June of 2021, including its first public flight overseas in Dubai in the fall of 2023. In January, XPeng AeroHT shared that the X2 had received a special flight permit from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), making it the first human-operated eVTOL to obtain a conditional permit in the entire country.

Today, XPeng AeroHT took the X2 eVTOL to the skies above its native city of Guangzhou for the first time to validate the technology ahead of commercial flights.

XPeng AeroHT eVTOL moves closer to full scale operations

XPeng AeroHT announced that its X2 eVTOL completed a low-altitude flight above Guangzhou, traveling from Tiande Center to the Canton Tower earlier today. The company said the route could serve urban air mobility (UAM) and sightseeing tours.

Today’s successful eVTOL flight aimed to garner data and flight experience from low-altitude urban routes to explore multiple aerial applications and scenarios. Following the flight, XPeng’s eVTOL arm said its products can now meet the demand for use in complex urban environments.

Previous specs shared by AeroHT state the X2 eVTOL can reach a top speed of 130 km/h (~81 mph) in the air and can fly for 35 minutes on a single charge – more than enough juice for urban transport. Following today’s flight, commercial eVTOL operations in China appear closer than ever.