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Chinese EV maker Xpeng aims for 2024 release for flying car

The flying cars that the future was promised appear to be closer than ever.

Ozzie Mejia

October 25, 2021 11:10 AM

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We're roughly one-fifth of the way through the 21st century and it has yet to live up to some of the lofty expectations laid out by the previous one. For one thing, remember when pop culture used to paint a picture of a world with flying cars? People used to see that world on The Jetsons all the time. Or, for anybody who doesn't know what The Jetsons are, they used to see it referenced in this old IBM commercial.

Well, no need to worry, Captain Sisko, because flying cars appear to be on their way. According to CNBC, Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer Xpeng revealed a new flying car during the company's Tech Day, one that can navigate the air and also drive on standard roads. The HT Aero flying car will feature a lightweight design and a rotor that folds away. The rotor will be the main component that allows for flight, while additional safety features, including parachutes, will also be included.

Xpeng will take its time with perfecting the HT Aero's final product, estimating a 2024 rollout. There's a lot riding on the vehicle's final design with Xpeng raising $500 million USD in the last week from outside investors. Of course, there are several other external factors that must be considered in rolling out a flying car, including safety issues.

The flying cars of the future look to be around the corner. What will that mean in terms of vehicle design? From a different perspective, what will that mean in terms of road and air safety? There are a lot of questions that need to be addressed, but it's an exciting time to be alive. Shacknews will continue to follow this story and report on anything else that breaks.

Ozzie Mejia

Senior Editor

Ozzie has been playing video games since picking up his first NES controller at age 5. He has been into games ever since, only briefly stepping away during his college years. But he was pulled back in after spending years in QA circles for both THQ and Activision, mostly spending time helping to push forward the Guitar Hero series at its peak. Ozzie has become a big fan of platformers, puzzle games, shooters, and RPGs, just to name a few genres, but he’s also a huge sucker for anything with a good, compelling narrative behind it. Because what are video games if you can't enjoy a good story with a fresh Cherry Coke?