Chinese electric-vehicle maker Xpeng has unveiled a new flying-car prototype called X3, and shared a video of its maiden voyage.
The X3 is a car equipped with four rotors on it, enabling it to switch between driving and flying with vertical take-off and landing (VTOL).
It is designed to “fly over traffic congestion, obstacles, and rivers to meet a new host of short-distance mobility needs,” the company said.
“Designed for both air flight and road driving, the flying car conveniently features a sleek rotor fold-away system for seamless conversation between driving and flying.”
– Xpeng
VTOLs may someday serve as air taxis, however the technology has to overcome some regulatory obstacles to be allowed to operate in urban environments.
In 2020, Uber sold its air taxi division to Joby Aviation, while Google-backed air-taxi startup Kittyhawk was shut down in October.
