eVTOL

Following XPeng’s recent 1024 Tech Day event in China earlier this week, we have finally been able to share video footage of its latest generation of eVTOL built by AeroHT. As promised during the presentation, XPeng’s flying car prototype completed its maiden flight and has the receipts to prove it. You’ve gotta see this.

XPeng completed its fourth annual 1024 Tech Day in China today, highlighting several of its latest technological breakthroughs in electric mobility. The presentation included several advancements in autonomous driving, robotic animals, and self-evolving AI platforms. Additionally, XPeng Inc. shared that its sixth generation eVTOL – the closest thing we’ve seen to an actual flying car – completed its maiden flight. Lots to unfold here, so let’s get started.

XPeng’s urban air mobility (UAM) company AeroHT has demonstrated huge progress for eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) vehicles by showcasing its fifth-generation X2 ‘flying car’ publicly taking off, flying, and successfully landing during a demonstration in Dubai. Additionally, the company offered a progress update for its sixth-generation flying car, which is an actual car with wheels that drives and can take off and fly. Check it out.

Urban Air Mobility (UAM) developer Volocopter has shared a new video showcasing the time and effort the company and its staff have been putting into the flight testing campaign for the VoloCity eVTOL air taxi as it moves closer to genuine flights with human passengers. You can see it taking off and landing in real time below.

The creator and technical team behind the upcoming Airspeeder eVTOL racing league, Alauda Aeronautics, has successfully completed 250 test flights as it moves closer to one day transporting pilots inside the vessels in worldwide grand prix’. To celebrate, the company has shared extensive video footage of its progress over the course of the last two years. You can view it below.

Hyundai Motor Group and Rolls-Royce Holdings have announced the mutual signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to work together to integrate all-electric propulsion into the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) market. The parties look to combine Rolls-Royce’s expertise in aviation with Hyundai’s BEV and hydrogen fuel cell technology to develop and certify zero-emission vehicles for urban and regional air travel.

Urban air mobility (UAM) company AeroHT continues to make progress toward the “flying car” it has promised to deliver by 2024. XPeng Huitian (aka AeroHT) recently posted a video to Weibo demonstrating an eVTOL prototype taking off, flying around, and being maneuvered like a car. It has the XPeng Motors steering wheel and everything – check it out.

Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) developer Overair has announced the acquisition of an additional $145 million in funding from aircraft technology specialists Hanwha Systems and Hanwha Aerospace. In addition to its continued investment, Hanwha will provide electric motors and battery packs for Overair’s Butterly eVTOL prototypes, which remain on track to take to the sky next year.

Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) developer Overair announced a partnership with Urban Movement Labs (UML) to help expedite urban air mobility (UAM) in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The partnership is one of several with UML to collaborate with the city of Los Angeles to eventually implement eVTOL technology.

Nascent eVTOL racing league, Airspeeder, has announced its fourth pilot to join, and it’s Bruno Senna – a former Formula One and Formula E racing driver, current member of Rebellion Racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship, and eSports World eX Championship winner. Senna joins as a development pilot, bringing his racing expertise to the league before its first Grand Prix begins in 2023.

Following teaser footage of its “Prosperity I” eVTOL shared in January, AutoFlight has released a five minute video showing much more of its all-electric air-taxi in action. The newly released video features the eVTOL completing a vertical takeoff, transitioning to rear propulsion, and gliding forward before switching back to its top propellers and landing vertically.

Swedish eVTOL developer Jetson AB has shared more footage of its upcoming Jetson ONE aerial vehicle flying over water. At the request of an overload of comments on its social channels, Jetson also shared footage (albeit briefly) of its ONE eVTOL taking off, to showcase how simple the process is. Following a massive demand, Jetson’s founders are already teasing additional flying vehicles to come.

AutoFlight has grown one step closer to passenger flights in its eVTOL air taxi by introducing a proof of concept version called “Prosperity I,” alongside a first look at the eVTOL in the air. Additionally, AutoFlight has posted teaser footage of “Prosperity I” transitioning from vertical takeoff rotors to horizontal flight while in the air.

Wisk Aero, the California-based eVTOL company from Google co-founder Larry Page, recently announced a $450 million funding boost from The Boeing Company to further develop its Cora, an electric VTOL aircraft that the company plans to get type-certified with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as an autonomous, all-electric, air taxi.

The venture capital arm of the Lockheed Martin Corporation invested in Electra, Inc.’s Series A funding round last week, giving the company’s electric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) aircraft concept a double injection of cash, and credibility.

The air-taxi infrastructure hopefuls at Skyportz have expanded their plans to provide eVTOL takeoff and landing sites throughout Australia by partnering an with airport and parking garage that’s looking for a new lifeline.

Chinese eVTOL developer AutoFlight is showcasing its global expansion by officially entering Europe. The company has set up shop at Augsburg Airport in Germany, as it now seeks to to achieve certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for its “Prosperity I” eVTOL taxi. The certification program will begin this year and is expected to be completed by 2025.

Infant eVTOL racing league, Airspeeder, has publicly announced its first three pilots ahead of its remotely operated EXA Series of Grand Prix taking place in 2022, followed by a crewed racing series in 2023. The first three eVTOL pilots come from different racing backgrounds and represent a new future of “flying car” racing.

Chinese company EHang has opened a new, 5G enabled, electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vertiport and maintenance facility in Guangzhou, China – it’s just the latest new project in China’s “official” urban air mobility (UAM) test city.

Urban Air Mobility (UAM) developer Volocopter announced a joint venture with the sustainable development of NEOM in Saudi Arabia to design, implement, and operate the world’s first bespoke public eVTOL mobility system. The initial order is for 15 Volocopter aircraft that will begin initial operation in the next two to three years.

Newly formed eVTOL racing league Airspeeder has successfully completed its first competitive drag race in South Australia. The drag race put two teams from Alauda Aeronautics head-to-head as a development series, ahead of eVTOL Grand Prix in 2022 and a global Airspeeder racing series in 2023.