Chinese EV maker XPeng is turning heads with a groundbreaking vehicle that truly blurs the line between a rugged people mover and an aerial adventure machine. Dubbed the Land Aircraft Carrier, this ambitious project combines a massive six-wheeled electric van with a detachable, deployable personal aircraft — essentially a two-seat eVTOL (electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) module stored in the rear.
Developed through XPeng’s subsidiary ARIDGE (formerly AeroHT), the Land Aircraft Carrier isn’t just a flashy concept anymore. The company has moved firmly beyond prototypes: pre-production is underway, extreme weather testing (including -35°C cold trials) has been completed, and customer deliveries are slated to begin later in 2026 in China. With around 7,000 orders already secured (and growing interest internationally, including in the Middle East), this could mark one of the first mass-produced “flying car” systems available to buyers.
The “mothership” is a hulking, futuristic off-roader that looks like a cyberpunk take on a van-pickup hybrid (with clear nods to the Tesla Cybertruck’s angular aesthetic). Key highlights include:
- Six-wheel 6×6 all-wheel drive configuration for serious off-road capability and “3D off-roading” potential.
- Dimensions: Approximately 5.5 meters (18 feet) long, 2 meters (6.6 feet) wide and tall — surprisingly claimed to fit in standard parking spaces thanks to rear-wheel steering for better maneuverability.
- Powertrain: An 800V silicon carbide extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) setup, blending a large battery (estimated 40–50 kWh) with a gasoline range extender. This delivers an impressive CLTC-rated range exceeding 1,000 km (over 620 miles) on the ground.
- Seating: 4–5 passengers (including driver), with the aircraft stowed without sacrificing too much interior space.
- Bonus: The range extender acts as a giant power bank, capable of recharging the flying module up to six times during a trip.
Tucked in the back like a high-tech cargo is the detachable eVTOL aircraft — a sleek, two-seater multicopter with six rotors that unfold automatically. Deployment is one-touch and fully automated (taking just minutes), transforming the setup into a true dual-mode transport system.
- Flight specs: Short, low-altitude hops with a flight time of around 30–35 minutes (some reports note 15–20 minutes in earlier configs), top speeds around 130 km/h, and a 270-degree panoramic cockpit for immersive views.
- Controls: Simplified to a single joystick, with automated take-off/landing, triple-redundant flight computers, and autonomous navigation features. XPeng claims it’s learnable in “five minutes, masterable in three hours.”
- Safety focus: Extensive redundancy and testing (including manned flights and winter trials) underscore the push toward real-world usability.
- Capacity: Pilot + one passenger.
XPeng’s Guangzhou factory — billed as the world’s first dedicated modern assembly line for flying cars — is ramping up with an initial capacity of thousands of units annually (some targets mention 10,000 per year at full scale). Pre-production models are rolling out, certification applications (including with China’s CAAC) are in progress, and the company has mandated that its entire management team, including the CFO, personally pilot the aircraft before customer handovers.
Pricing is targeted under RMB 2 million (roughly $280,000 USD), making it ambitious but not entirely out of reach for high-end buyers. While regulatory hurdles remain significant outside China (especially for airspace integration in places like Europe or the US), XPeng is positioning this as a serious step into the “low-altitude economy.
“In a world where EVs are becoming commonplace, the Land Aircraft Carrier stands out as bold Chinese innovation — pushing boundaries from road to sky in one package. If deliveries hit late 2026 as promised, everyday adventurers (or the ultra-wealthy) could soon own their own mobile aircraft carrier. The future of mobility just got a lot more vertical.
