In 2026, it’s not impressive enough to announce that you’re releasing a flying car — not when there are international rivals working on the same thing. And especially not when that rival is China.
Pivotal just revealed its $190,000 Helix flying car, featuring autonomous piloting, a top speed of 62 miles per hour, and 30 minutes of flight time on a full charge. Your initial thought was probably, “Wow, flying cars before Grand Theft Auto 6?” or if you don’t spend all your time online, “Wow, flying cars are finally here.”
But don’t get too excited, alright? China sees your flying car and raises you an even larger one.
China’s flying car is not only the biggest, but the most ready
An aviation company out of Shanghai, AutoFlight, has recently revealed the Matrix. And it has already completed multiple successful test flights. While most flying car prototypes are quite small — the Pivotal Helix has a weight limit of 220 pounds — the Matrix is recognized as the world’s largest flying car.
The Matrix is 56 feet long, nearly 11,000 pounds, and has a wingspan of 66 feet. The passenger version of the Matrix can also carry up to 10 people, while the usual prototypes allow for four to six passengers.
Of course, the Matrix and Helix are not truly comparable. The Helix is for personal flights while the Matrix is meant to be an alternative commercial travel option. With a pretty impressive capacity, the Matrix would have notable efficiency and lower costs per passenger — if they didn’t want to take a private jet instead for whatever reason.
The Helix is also made for short flights while the Matrix — backed by the world’s largest vehicle battery manufacturer, CATL — can fly further while carrying more weight.
China may have flying cars in operation in 2026
The Matrix isn’t just a cool novelty for China. Instead, the country is already working on standards and regulations for what it calls “low-altitude economy.” Right now, the country is working on standards and safety regulations for aircraft designs while setting up traffic control and infrastructure. The official baseline plans will be finalized by 2027 in an attempt to prepare cities for the concept of flying taxis.
Flying cars may seem far off for the United States and other countries around the world, but China’s serious plans for this new travel industry will likely be a kick in the butt. Even when it comes to things like banning hidden door handles, China seems to be the initiator of what later becomes adapted by the rest of the world. And as China continues to dominate and shape the EV industry (and beyond), it won’t be surprising to see other countries rushing to keep up.
The real question is, can they?
China is already planning to start using flying cars this year, although it will begin with transporting cargo. There are already several companies planning to use flying cars for their deliveries. And as the country continues to rapidly implement landing pads, charging stations, and other infrastructure, we could even see paid passenger flights in flying cars later this year.
AutoFlight is already looking beyond China as well, targeting regions with limited transportation networks that may find a 10-passenger flying car useful. Think islands, mountains, and other remote places throughout Asia and the Middle East. Meanwhile, the United States isn’t being all that warm and welcoming to the Helix as Americans continue to question autonomous vehicles.
But if China says flying cars are the future, then flying cars are the future whether you like it or not.
