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| Xpeng plans to mass-produce the Land Aircraft Carrier from 2027. |
The Chinese electric vehicle maker wants to reinvent personal mobility – but first, it needs to win over aviation regulators and skeptics alike.
For years, the idea of a “flying car” has lived somewhere between science fiction and Silicon Valley hype. But Xpeng, one of Tesla’s most serious rivals in China, is determined to turn that fantasy into a mass‑produced reality. Speaking exclusively to Reuters, Xpeng president Brian Gu revealed that the company expects to begin full‑scale deliveries of its much‑discussed “flying car” as early as the end of 2026, with volume production ramping up through 2027.
However, this is not the vertical‑takeoff sedan many imagined. Instead, Xpeng is pursuing a two‑part system: a six‑wheeled electric carrier vehicle that transports a separate, two‑seat eVTOL (electric vertical take‑off and landing) aircraft inside its rear compartment. The whole package is called the Land Aircraft Carrier, and it was most recently shown to the public at CES 2025 in Las Vegas, where it drew crowds of curious onlookers.
The vehicle is being developed under Xpeng’s sub‑brand AeroHT, which now operates internationally under the name Aridge. According to Brian Gu, the feedback so far has been strong – at least on paper. “We have already received more than 7,000 orders, the majority from the Chinese market,” Gu said. That number would make the Land Aircraft Carrier one of the best‑selling eVTOL concepts to date, if all orders convert into paid deliveries.
But there is one enormous caveat: China’s aviation authorities have not yet certified the aircraft. And because regulators treat the eVTOL as an aircraft rather than a car, safety certification is expected to be a long and rigorous process. “The challenge is not production,” Gu explained. “The challenge is working with the authorities to prove that this is safe for everyday use.”
A Two‑Part Machine With a Single Ambition
The Land Aircraft Carrier is unlike anything currently on the road – or in the air. The base vehicle is an electric, six‑wheeled off‑road capable transporter that looks like a futuristic pickup truck. Inside its rear bay, the eVTOL aircraft is stored, charged, and ready to deploy. When the owner wants to fly, the carrier opens up, and the two‑seater drone‑like aircraft lifts off vertically, no runway required.
Xpeng envisions the system being used for leisure, emergency response, and short‑distance air travel – think flying over a traffic jam to reach a remote campsite or quickly crossing a river valley. The carrier vehicle can recharge the aircraft while driving, extending its effective range.
The design was first teased in 2023, but the CES 2025 showing proved that Xpeng has moved well beyond PowerPoint. The company has already built multiple functional prototypes and is conducting test flights – though those tests are currently limited to controlled, closed‑airspace environments.
So why split the vehicle into two parts? According to engineers who worked on the project, a pure “roadable aircraft” that folds its wings and drives on public roads would face insurmountable weight and safety trade‑offs. By keeping the flying component separate, Xpeng can optimize each half for its job: the eVTOL stays light and aerodynamic, while the carrier vehicle provides road comfort, long‑range battery capacity, and a secure garage for the aircraft.
Going Global – With a Stop at the Regulator’s Desk
Xpeng is already an international player. The company is active in around 60 countries outside China, and foreign markets account for roughly 15% of its revenue. In an interview, Brian Gu set an ambitious target: “We want more than half of our revenue to come from outside China within the next five to ten years.”
That global push is already visible through Xpeng’s partnership with Volkswagen, which sees the German automaker using Xpeng’s EV architecture for future China‑market models. But the flying car is another matter entirely. Even if China’s Civil Aviation Administration (CAAC) gives the green light, Xpeng would then have to seek approvals from aviation authorities in the European Union, the United States, and other major markets – each with its own, often stricter, safety rules.
The German market, crucial for any automaker with global ambitions, would require EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency) certification. That process alone could take years. “We are in very early talks with several regulators,” Gu said, without disclosing specifics.
For now, Xpeng is focusing on its home market. The company says it has already built a dedicated production line for the Land Aircraft Carrier at its plant in Guangzhou, with an initial capacity of roughly 1,000 units per month. That may sound modest, but for a brand‑new category of vehicle, it is a significant bet.
Reddit Reacts: Skepticism, Jokes, and a Few True Believers
While Xpeng’s announcement made headlines in the business press, the reaction on social media has been decidedly mixed. On Reddit, a lengthy thread about the Reuters interview attracted hundreds of comments – most of them skeptical.
“Yeah, I’ll believe it when I see my neighbor’s drunk driving attempt fly into my roof,” wrote one user, summing up the safety concerns shared by many.
Another commenter questioned the everyday practicality: “So I need to own a giant six‑wheel truck AND a drone that fits inside it? And charge both? And get a pilot’s license? And file flight plans? This isn’t a car, it’s a rich person’s toy.”
Others focused on the regulatory mountain ahead. “The FAA alone would take a decade to certify this. China might move faster, but no way this sees global delivery by 2027,” predicted a user who claimed to work in aviation compliance.
Yet not everyone dismissed the idea. A handful of Redditors saw the Land Aircraft Carrier as a necessary first step toward a longer‑term vision. “Remember when people laughed at Tesla for making an electric sedan? Sometimes ambitious timelines are exactly what push industries forward,” one optimistic comment read.
Some users joked about the inevitable “flying road rage” or the challenge of finding a vertipad in downtown Shanghai. A particularly popular meme compared the Xpeng system to a “James Bond villain’s weekend toy.”
Despite the mockery, Xpeng’s president seems unfazed. “When we first showed our electric sedans, people also said they would never work in winter,” Gu told Reuters. “Now we sell hundreds of thousands. New technology always meets doubt.”
What Happens Next?
The Land Aircraft Carrier is not vaporware – Xpeng has invested heavily in real hardware, including custom batteries that can power both the road vehicle and the aircraft, and a flight control system derived from drone technology. The company has also established a dedicated flight‑testing base in southern China, where pilots are already logging hours.
Still, the 2026–2027 delivery timeline depends almost entirely on China’s CAAC. Insiders suggest that the agency is under pressure to modernize its eVTOL regulations, partly because it does not want Chinese innovators to fall behind US and European competitors like Joby Aviation or Lilium. If the CAAC moves quickly, Xpeng could indeed become the first company to deliver a consumer‑ready “flying car” at scale.
For now, potential buyers can place a refundable deposit – though Xpeng has not yet announced a final price. Analysts estimate the Land Aircraft Carrier will cost between $200,000 and $300,000, putting it firmly in the luxury bracket. At that price, the 7,000 orders represent more than $1.4 billion in potential revenue, assuming all deposits convert to sales.
Whether those buyers will ever be allowed to actually take off is another question. But for Xpeng, the message is clear: the company no longer wants to be seen as just another electric carmaker. It is aiming for the skies – and it is in a hurry to get there.
Disclosure: The Reuters source for this article can be found embedded above. All quotes and order figures attributed to Brian Gu come from that interview, published April 23, 2026.
