An isolated concept: a modular flying car dazzles in Las Vegas

Xpeng Aeroht presents the “Land-Based Aircraft Carrier”. This is basically a car that has a flying helicopter for two people on board. There's only a prototype so far, but the Chinese company wants to put the modular flying car on the road or in the air soon.

It wasn't long before air taxis became the butt of ridicule. But several companies are already working on such a car, and one German company hopes to receive approval this year. Chinese manufacturer Xpeng Aeroht goes one step further. At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, he introduced a flying car he called the “Land Aircraft Carrier.”

Modular here means that the futuristic-looking three-axle vehicle has a flying helicopter in its 'box', essentially a flying taxi. The road unit remains behind while its passengers disembark on the flight unit.

All passengers cannot fly

According to the manufacturer, the car offers space for four to five passengers and has a hybrid all-wheel drive system with rear-wheel steering, making the car exceptional off-road. For example, you can use it on expeditions to drive as far into the wilderness as possible, and if you get stuck, switch to the flight module. Xpeng Aeroht mentions emergency services as another potential area of ​​application.

The Land Carrier can be controlled manually, but also offers an automatic flight mode. There is space for two people in the plane and they can enjoy the view from the 270-degree panoramic cockpit.

Better safe than sorry

The helicopter has a purely electric motor and, according to the manufacturer, is suitable for vertical take-off and low-altitude flight. Its six rotors operate independently, so that the flight unit can still fly and land safely even if two engines fail.

In case of emergency, the “land aircraft carrier” has a rescue system with four parachutes. According to the manufacturer, it also works at altitudes as low as 50 metres, where the machine and passengers descend at approximately 5 meters per second, but will not sustain any major damage.

The Chinese firman introduced the “eVTOL” flying car in early 2022. In street mode, it looks like a sports car. Its four pairs of rotors are foldable and can be extended to take the vehicle off the road and into the air.