Incoming Chinese carmaker Xpeng has confirmed it’s now taking orders in Australia for its X2 electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) ‘flying car’ – but there are some pretty significant caveats.
Unveiled at the Sydney International EV AutoShow on the weekend, following similar appearances at the Tokyo motor show in October and in China prior to that, the Xpeng X2 is now available to order in Australia.
It’s priced “around $200k” according to Jason Clarke, the CEO of TrueEV, Xpeng’s Australian importer and distributor.
The fully electric, circa-360kg (unladen) eVTOL is claimed to offer a range of 75km (or approximately 30 minutes of flying time) and features eight individual rotors and motors, a top speed of 130km/h and an enclosed two-seater cockpit. It’s also fitted as standard with a ballistic-grade parachute should things go awry.
“Yes, you can buy it in Australia. We can take orders,” Mr Clarke told CarExpert, adding,“$200,000 is the guidance.”
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While Mr Clarke insists the X2 isn’t a gimmick, actually purchasing and operating the new flying vehicle isn’t exactly straightforward. He admitted the X2 was likely to be bungled in red tape for some time before it could take to the skies.
“People think it’s a gimmick because it’s a flying car, and there are references to the Jetsons. I get a bit uneasy about that because this is real, and the one you’re looking at has done flights. They’ve taken the ballistics parachute out of it and reduced the weight,” Mr Clarke said.
Xpeng’s Australian service and delivery partner, FlyOne, markets the aircraft as a “low-altitude air mobility explorer”.
Asked whether the X2 is approval for use by respective local authorities including the national Civil Aviation and Safety Authority (CASA), Mr Clarke said: “That process is underway now. We think it’s going to take a year or more to get through that.”
Mr Clarke also revealed you would need a pilot’s licence – not simply a car licence – to be able to eventually fly the X2 in Australia.
“The people that have taken interest in it in Australia are mostly farmers,” he said. “They could buy five X2s for the price it would take to [replace the engine] in their regular helicopter.”
The X2 on display at the Sydney EV show was said to be the fifth-generation model from Xpeng. It will eventually be superseded by upgraded versions boasting a flying time closer to two hours, said Mr Clarke.
Because of its 500m flight ceiling, the X2 is being touted as an urban green transportation alternative that’s also suitable for sightseeing, medical emergencies and supplies, remote delivery of goods and livestock rustling.
“If you have a luxury yacht and you’re holidaying [and you want to island hop] – that’s the sort of application we’re talking about,” Mr Clarke said.
“Alternatively, it could be used to help patients with spinal injuries and emergency situations, accessing areas that helicopters cannot and reducing waiting times.”
A range of other companies have either revealed or promised to deliver flying cars in the near future, including Toyota, Hyundai, Stellantis, and even Uber.
However, after promising to begin world-first trials of its eVTOL across three Australian cities starting in Melbourne, Uber Air was sold to a company called Joby Aviation in late 2020.
Australian firm Pegasus Aerospace Corp received airworthiness certification from CASA for its driveable Pegasus E flying police car last year, when it said a key goal on its way to commercial production and use is certification from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which would be a world-first for a VTOL.
Pegasus was expected to reveal a four-seat flying taxi last year and Morgan Stanley has projected the global flying car market to be worth US$1 trillion by 2040.
The Xpeng X2 is already on sale in Europe and is now available to order locally through TrueEV’s Australian website, where you can secure one with a fully refundable $100 deposit.
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