When I started writing about vehicles, I really didn’t think I’d be writing about flying cars so much — at least not so soon. But China keeps cranking them out as it looks to establish a “low-altitude economy.” With traffic control and infrastructure in the works, China is fully embracing the concept of flying cars.
We first covered the AutoFlight Matrix, the world’s largest flying car set to shake up the commercial travel industry. It may soon be a viable way to handle deliveries and short trips in China, possibly by 2026. However, if you want a more private way to get around, you may consider the Xpeng Land Aircraft Carrier.
Epic vacation van? Jewelry heist accomplice? There is no everyday need for the Xpeng Land Aircraft Cruiser
Chinese automaker Xpeng has been working on this latest concept for some time, and it may go into production in late 2026. The factory is ready, and pre-production models are already underway. In just a few months, China may have an ingenious way to circumvent traffic jams or get away with a massive diamond theft.
“I had the pleasure of visiting the facility recently, where they’re building the pre-production versions right now. It’s not a dream. We have 7,000 orders. Later on this year, we will start fulfilling them,” said Xpeng Europe’s Head of Brand and Marketing Sven D Smet.
It may look like a Cybertruck-esque van at first. However, the futuristic, bloated six-wheeler is more than an unsightly four-seat EV van. With rear-hinged doors and a range-extender powertrain that offers 621-miles of travel, the Land Aircraft Carrier is, well, carrying a tiny aircraft.
Inside the Land Aircraft Carrier is a six-rotor drone that allows up to two passengers to take to the skies. It features a single-lever control system, automatic takeoff, and autonomous navigation. It charges while sitting inside the van, ready for use once you park the van.
But I have many questions. While most people are already questioning the safety and regulations surrounding this van-drone hybrid (will you need a pilot license?), I am just trying to figure out when you’d need to use this at all. In theory, you’d need to drive the Land Aircraft Carrier somewhere, and then ditch the van and fly off in your drone. Aside from a novelty spin around the skies while you’re exploring a national park (assuming it allows drones), when would you be in an everyday scenario that calls for switching from a van to a drone, leaving the van behind somewhere? And if you have four passengers in the van, only two of you can take the drone, leaving the other two behind.
Again, the only possible scenario I can think of for the Xpeng Land Aircraft Carrier is a jewelry heist. Which means there are 7,000 people planning to pull one off in the next year.
