Xpeng has announced an electric vehicle that can drive and fly

Chinese carmaker XPeng Motors, one of Tesla's main competitors, announced an electric vehicle HT Aero that will be able to drive on normal roads and fly.

For flights, it will be equipped with folding rotary propellers. To control the car on the road, the driver will have access to the usual steering wheel, and for piloting in the air - a separate lever.

The novelty is equipped with systems for assessing weather conditions, which should ensure the safety of takeoff and landing. To help the driver, it is planned to introduce a control system with object recognition along the route. The maximum speed of the HT Aero will reach 130 km / h, and the maximum flight time will be about 25 minutes.

Xpeng showed a prototype of the novelty, but with the caveat that the final design may be different. The appearance of the car will be approved only next year. It can be somewhat simplified so that the final cost of HT Aero does not go beyond 157 thousand dollars (about 11 million rubles).

Xpeng plans to start mass production of the flying car in 2024 and sell it directly to private customers. The creators see such a car as a convenient means for short-term flights around the city or outside, for example, to the airport.