2 flying cars crash during air show rehearsal in China | VIDEO

Two flying cars collided during a rehearsal flight in China, leaving one vehicle in flames and one person injured, according to reports. The incident took place ahead of the Changchun Air Show, which was scheduled to begin on 19 September.

How did the crash happen?

The electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles, developed by Xpeng AeroHT, were carrying out a formation flying exercise when the accident occurred. The company told CNN that the crash happened because of “lack of space” during the manoeuvre.

One of the vehicles caught fire while attempting to land and suffered significant fuselage damage. Video footage from the scene showed emergency services rushing in, with a fire truck putting out the blaze.

According to reports, an unnamed company employee, confirmed that one person was injured in the collision. However, Xpeng AeroHT later stated that “all personnel at the crash site were safe and that the local authorities have completed on-site emergency measures in an orderly manner.”

The company added that the exact cause of the incident is still under investigation.

The eVTOL flying cars involved in the accident are part of Xpeng AeroHT’s much-publicised project to bring flying vehicles to market. The firm has announced plans to retail the models at around $300,000 each and, according to the BBC, has already received 3,000 orders since January.

Xpeng AeroHT, a subsidiary of Chinese automaker Xpeng, was founded in 2013. It achieved its first manned flight of a flying car prototype in 2018. The eVTOL model was officially revealed to the public at the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2024.

A growing flying car programme

The company has invested heavily in infrastructure to support the rollout of its vehicles. In October 2024, it established what it described as the “world’s first flying car manufacturing bases.” Just a month later, in November 2024, the firm carried out its first global public manned flight of the eVTOL.

To promote the new technology, Xpeng AeroHT has also set up “flying camps” across China, with 70 locations already established and a goal of expanding to over 200 sites. At present, the routes open to these vehicles include suburbs, tourist destinations and scenic spots, with longer-term plans to expand into inter-city transport.