Chinese automotive manufacturer HT Aero, a division of Xpeng, has unveiled its latest flying car that can also drive on roads.
The company said it plans to have the vehicle available for customers in 2024, however, the design may change before production begins.
The announcement comes after HT Aero unveiled a different aircraft, an air taxi, that includes autonomous flight take-off and landing for urban environments.
The flying car includes a lightweight design and rotors that fold away allowing the aircraft to drive on roads and then fly when the rotors are expanded. It will contain safety features such as parachutes.
There are numerous companies developing flying vehicles intended for passenger delivery, personal use and cargo carrying. Of these, some are so-called air taxis that will carry passengers and cargo to locations between cities or inter-city travel. These are regulated to flight only and will not have road capabilities Some vehicles are called flying cars, such as the vehicle from HT Aero that can travel on land and through the air with both tires and wings.
HT Aero joins other flying car companies such as AeroMobil, PAL-V, which recently became street legal, Terrafugia and many other startups. Some larger automotive companies such as Hyundai and Toyota have experimented with flying cars but nothing concrete has been unveiled yet.
