Event at the Airshow
During a rehearsal before an airshow in Changchun, two electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft from Xpeng collided mid-air. One aircraft landed successfully, while the other crashed and caught fire. Fortunately, no one was killed, and only one person sustained minor injuries.
Accident Details
The aircraft involved in the incident are models capable of being folded and stored in the rear of a six-wheeled “carrier” called the Land Aircraft Carrier. They feature a six-rotor design with folding propellers and frames, and can be controlled either manually or autonomously. Xpeng reported that the collision occurred because the aircraft were flying too close to each other during formation training.
Company Plans
Xpeng plans to begin production and delivery of its eVTOL aircraft and “carriers” to customers as early as 2026. The cost of the set will start from approximately 2 million yuan, and the company claims to have received thousands of pre-orders for these expensive recreational vehicles. The aircraft are capable of operating at altitudes of up to 500 meters.
Production Capacity
Production of these vehicles will be carried out exclusively at a new 180,000-square-meter plant in Guangzhou, which will have the capacity to produce up to 10,000 units per year.
This incident may affect public confidence in the safety of autonomous aircraft, especially given Xpeng’s ambitious mass production plans. The company will likely have to make additional efforts to demonstrate the reliability of its technologies after such an event. It is also important to note that similar trials often involve risks, especially in the early stages of implementing new transportation systems.