DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A Chinese firm tested an electric flying taxi in Dubai on Monday, offering a glimpse of futuristic technology that could one day transport people around cities that stand above all traffic.
The XPeng X2, developed by the Guangzhou-based aviation branch of XPeng Inc, is one of dozens of flying car projects around the world. Only a few have been successfully tested with passengers on board, and it will likely be many years before any are put into service.
The XPeng X2, an electric flying taxi developed by the aviation branch of XPeng, Inc, is tested in front of the Marina area in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on October 10, 2022.
AP Photo/Kamran Jabreili
Monday’s demonstration was held with an empty cockpit, but the company says it will conduct a manned flight in July 2021.
The elegant car can carry two passengers and is powered by eight propellers. The company says its top speed is 130 kilometers (80 miles) per hour.
A man looks at the XPeng X2, an electric flying taxi developed by XPeng, Inc, being tested in front of the Marina area in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on October 10, 2022.
AP Photo/Kamran Jabreili
Unlike airplanes and helicopters, eVTOL, or “electric vertical takeoff and landing,” vehicles offer fast personal point-to-point travel, at least in principle.
Self-driving vehicles will one day be able to ferry passengers across the city high above congested roadways. But the sector still faces major challenges, including battery life, air traffic control and safety, and infrastructure issues.
The XPeng X2, an electric flying taxi developed by the aviation branch of XPeng, Inc, is tested in front of the Marina area in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on October 10, 2022.
AP Photo/Kamran Jabreili
The video in the media player above was used in a previous report.
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