In the future, daily commuters may have to decide between a traditional motor vehicle and a flying car. Or maybe not. Xpeng AeroHT is developing a stunning dual-mode transporter it calls the "Land Aircraft Carrier" (LAC), a six-wheeled van built to launch a two-person foldable eVTOL out its trunk, promising a new era of hybrid land-air travel. The LAC once appeared to be a fanciful concept but has been progressing rapidly since last year, and now has a full demo launch and flight under its belt.
Like seemingly all things a part of China's "low altitude economy," the Land Aircraft Carrier has been moving forward at an alarmingly fast pace.
The two-part vessel has only been around for a little over a year, having debuted as a wild rendered concept in October 2023. It didn't look particularly plausible at the time, but Xpeng AeroHT promptly confirmed development plans last year.
And a few months later, the eVTOL half was whisking through the air to the soundtrack of "oohs and ahhs" from the crowd watching intently below.
The Land Aircraft Carrier made its North American debut at CES this month, but it was the previous event that really opened up its next chapter. In November, Xpeng AeroHT hosted the first public demo of the dual-mode transporter, showing the two-person eVTOL emerge from its carrier van, unfurl into full airworthy form, and take off into the skies above the city of Zhuhai, host of the annual China Airshow.
That was barely over a year after the LAC premiered as a cartoonishly strange, unlikely virtual concept.
Xpeng AeroHT has hit the skies with some of the most striking aeronautical vessels ever, from its sharp-bodied X2 eVTOL, to its multi-rotor hypercar, to the dual-mode Land Aircraft Carrier. The company bills the LAC as the world's one and only passenger car capable of storing an aircraft in its trunk, and it's definitely the first and only such design we've come across.
Making it even more conspicuous than a street-legal commuter aircraft carrier would otherwise be, the LAC van spreads the weight of the expandable eVTOL on board over two rear axles, creating a distinctive six-wheel triple-axle layout. Unlike some of the massive six-wheelers out there, the van's 18-foot (5.5-m) length is 1.5 feet (0.5 m) less than a common Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 144, and its 6.6-foot (2-m) height low enough to roll into underground parking.
The four-seat LAC – playfully nicknamed the "mothership" – is always ready to engage flight mode and send driver and passenger soaring right over unnavigable ground, but it's also equipped to handle all but the gnarliest terrain via an all-wheel-drive system, adjustable air suspension and rear-wheel steering system.
When it's time to deploy the eVTOL, a single push of a button pops open the dual rear doors and hatch, slides the eVTOL out so its legs deploy and drops the suspension, allowing the van to drive forward and leave the flying car standing in place for loading and take-off.
Xpeng AeroHT is targeting a robust ground range of 620 miles (1,000 km, CLTC) with a range-extended hybrid powertrain. It also estimates that the "mothership's" onboard battery and fuel tank can provide enough energy to charge the flying car's battery for up to six full flights. The eVTOL hooks up and charges when docked inside the van.
Referred to simply as the "air module" by Xpeng, the flying car features a series of six rotors on arms that unfold into flight form. Xpeng is developing it for both manual and autonomous flight, complete with a push-button take-off mechanism. The craft is made from carbon fiber and features a 270-degree polycarbonate cockpit for taking in expansive views of its surroundings. Single-lever control ensures simple, intuitive operation that LAC pilots can master within a matter of hours.
The air module is also equipped with a full suite of redundant systems for safety, including backup systems for power, flight control, power supply, communication, and operation.
While you probably won't be able to (legally) abandon your six-wheel van in the middle of rush hour traffic to take to the skies for the fast way home, we can think of many ways an electric van/eVTOL combo will prove a dynamic means of travel.
Drive to the edge of the ocean or canyon, deploy your eVTOL and continue the scenic tour. Drive to the base of a snow-covered mountain and use the eVTOL as your own personal heli-ski shuttle. Outfit the cavernous interior of that van with camper equipment that folds against the wall to fit the flying car in, then launch airborne day trips or overnighters to more distant parts of the mountain or forest inaccessible by ground vehicle.
This quick video better illustrates that style of trip.
Xpeng AeroHT has been hard at work building out its flying car manufacturing facility, with a goal of opening it up as the world's first flying car mass production facility in Q3 2025. This facility will build the flying car half of the Land Aircraft Carrier tandem as part of the factory's 10,000-unit annual capacity. Xpeng plans to launch preordering soon, with the first LAC deliveries planned for 2026 ... and while we'd have previously rolled our eyes at that timeframe, the company doesn't appear to be dawdling.
Xpeng AeroHT does not list pricing on its website, but a number of recent reports put the price at roughly US$280,000 ... a pretty penny, but cheaper than previously thought.
Get a taste of the Land Aircraft Carrier's first public demo in the video below.
Source: Xpeng AeroHT
