TMTPOST -- At least one passenger was injured on Tuesday after two electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developed by the flying car unit of Chinese new energy vehicle startup Xpeng Motors collided during a rehearsal for the Changchun Air Show in northeastern China’s Jilin province.
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Xpeng Aeroht, the company’s aviation arm, said in a statement that the collision occurred during a formation flight exercise due to insufficient flight distance between the two aircraft. “One aircraft landed safely, while the other caught fire upon landing due to body damage,” the company said.
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Authorities and on-site personnel ensured that everyone present at the rehearsal remained safe. The injured passenger was promptly transported to a hospital and is reportedly in stable condition. Investigations into the specific cause of the accident are ongoing, Xpeng Aeroht added.
Founded in 2013, Xpeng Aeroht focuses on the development of modular flying cars, tiltrotor vehicles, and eVTOLs. The eVTOL showcased at the Changchun rehearsal is capable of making five to six flights on a full charge, features a 270-degree panoramic cabin, employs a single-lever control design, and operates at altitudes of 300 to 500 meters.
The incident comes after Xpeng Aeroht’s Land Aircraft Carrier—a modular flying car that can automatically separate and combine—completed its first public flight in November last year, attracting significant attention from the aviation and tech communities. The carrier has reportedly received more than 4,000 pre-orders, with each unit priced around 2 million yuan (approximately US$ 281,015).
In October of last year, Xpeng Aeroht broke ground on a modular flying car factory in Guangzhou. The facility is scheduled for completion in the fourth quarter of 2025, with mass production and deliveries expected to begin next year. Meanwhile, the Land Aircraft Carrier recently obtained a special flight permit in the United Arab Emirates and began manned flight tests on September 11.
The collision underscores the risks associated with testing emerging aerial technologies, particularly in formation flight scenarios. Xpeng Aeroht has stressed its commitment to safety and adherence to regulatory standards as it advances its fleet of eVTOLs and modular flying vehicles.
Industry analysts note that while eVTOLs and flying cars promise to reshape urban mobility, incidents such as the Changchun rehearsal highlight the ongoing technical and operational challenges facing manufacturers in the fast-growing air mobility sector.
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