Chinese EV maker XPeng says its much-hyped flying car could be carrying passengers by summer 2027, with initial operations planned in China. The company, best known for its electric cars, has been developing an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle through its XPeng AeroHT arm, and the timeline suggests we're edging closer to the era where a scenic airborne hop becomes a bookable travel option rather than a trade-show demo.
The vehicle is designed to take off and land vertically, so it doesn't need a runway — think helicopter-style departures from urban vertiports or scenic launch pads, but electric and quieter. XPeng has shown concepts that include a modular setup, where a ground vehicle effectively carries and serves as a base for the flight module, hinting at a future road-trip-plus-air-excursion hybrid that would appeal to exactly the kind of traveller who likes covering ground and getting a bird's-eye view.
Details on pricing, routes and certification remain thin, and that's the honest caveat here. eVTOL certification is notoriously slow everywhere in the world, and China has been moving aggressively to approve low-altitude aviation corridors, which is precisely why the country is likely to see the first real services. XPeng is one of several Chinese firms — EHang among them — racing to turn low-altitude tourism and short urban hops into a commercial reality.
For travellers, the near-term use case is most likely sightseeing flights and short point-to-point transfers rather than a replacement for regional flights. If the 2027 target holds, the first places to try it will probably be major Chinese cities and tourist regions where operators can run short, controlled routes. Expect early rides to be priced like premium experiences — closer to a scenic helicopter flight than a taxi — and expect booking through operators rather than airlines.
So who should care right now? Anyone planning a China trip in the next couple of years who fancies being an early adopter, and anyone tracking how quickly air mobility goes mainstream, because a summer 2027 launch would make China the likely first stop. Keep expectations measured: dates in this industry slip, and regulator sign-off is the real gatekeeper. But the direction of travel is clear, and China is where it's heading first.
Story via Travel Tomorrow.
