XPeng AeroHT’s ‘modular flying car’ will enter mass production, pre-orders begin in Q4
During a press event held during CES in Las Vegas, XPeng’s electric aviation business arm AeroHT shared new details regarding two of its “flying cars.” In addition to live demonstrations of its eVTOL flying supercar, XPeng AeroHT shared that its modular “Land Aircraft Carrier” will enter mass production.
AeroHT is an eVTOL-focused entity of XPeng Inc., majority-owned by the company and its founder He Xiaopeng. Since 2013, AeroHT has conducted tens of thousands of safe flights en route to developing and implementing electric flying vehicles at scale.
Its mobility sibling, XPeng Motors, has delivered some impressive technology in its own right, but many would argue that AeroHT’s technology is even more exciting. During XPeng’s annual 1024 Tech Day event in 2022, AeroHT introduced its seventh generation flying car. Others have used that term loosely, but this prototype is a genuine EV that drives, deploys propellers, and can take off into the sky.
2023’s Tech Day brought the debut of two new “flying car” designs, including a revamped version of the flying supercar mentioned above. New to the AeroHT family was a 6×6 all-wheel drive EV that houses an eVTOL aircraft in its rear. That vehicle has come to be known as the “Land Aircraft Carrier,” and according to news from XPeng and AeroHT in Vegas today, will enter mass production in 2025.
XPeng AeroHT’s flying car carrier to begin pre-orders in Q4
During a press event held live at CES 2024 in Las Vegas, XPeng AeroHT shared significant updates on the progress of its “flying car” technology. First, the Land Aircraft Carrier in the featured image above has been slotted for scaled production in 2025.
Before then, however, the company will open pre-orders for the modular EV/ eVTOL combo beginning in Q4 of this year. Described by its makers as “not another mere concept,” AeroHT shared that the Land Aircraft Carrier has already completed all necessary tests during its R&D validation phase and has now begun the preparation stage for mass production.
While XPeng AeroHT states the final design of the “flying car” is still in development, it should feature the following specs if and when scaled production begins:
- Ground Module (BEV)
- Accommodates 4-5 passengers.
- Extended-range electric powertrain can recharge the eVTOL air module multiple times.
- Three-axle, six-wheel configuration enables 6×6 all-wheel drive and rear-wheel steering.
- Air Module (eVTOL)
- Fully-electric piloted aircraft capable of vertical takeoff/landing and low-altitude flights.
- Its electric propulsion system meets single-point failure safety requirements.
- The eVTOL supports manual and autonomous flight modes.
- A 270° panoramic two-person cockpit offers a wide field of view.
Despite pre-orders in the pipeline, XPeng AeroHT is not sharing precisely what its Land Aircraft Carrier “flying car” will cost. XPeng founder He Xiaopeng said the carrier would be priced in the RMB 1 million segment ($140,500). We will learn more concrete pricing once the company debuts its final design.
In addition, the scaled production of the eVTOL carrier, XPeng AeroHT, also wowed the CES crowd with its international debut and a live demonstration of its flying supercar. The EV transitioned into flight mode – deploying its rotor-equipped arms before completing a successful vertical takeoff and landing.
When XPeng AeroHT introduced the sixth generation of the flying car during 1024 Tech Day 2021, it was expected to arrive sometime in 2024 and cost less than RMB 1,000,000 (~$156,600). However, that no longer seems to be the targeted arrival as the electric aviation arm’s production focus appears set on the Land Aircraft Carrier, at least for now.
That isn’t to say we won’t see this genuine flying EV reach production someday, and given today’s live demo, it appears more feasible than ever. For now, however, our sights are set on Q4 2024, when Land Aircraft Carrier pre-orders begin.
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Leading electric vehicle analyst, author, and industry thought leaders Loren McDonald and Bill Ferro stop by Quick Charge to discuss EV Adoption’s acquisition by Paren, the “crisis” of EV charging reliability, and the real state of the EV market.
Depending on who you listen, EVs are either driving brands to record growth and are about cross that critical 10% of the overall market nationwide, or the future is bleak, the market is down, and EVs just aren’t selling. What’s really going on? Loren and Bill (probably) have some answers.
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Read more: All my favorite EVs, racecars, and robots from Electrify Expo Austin.
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Chevy EV owners in Texas who have Reliant as their electric utility can now charge for free at night with renewable energy.
Over 150 Chevrolet dealerships across Texas are now offering the Reliant Free Charge Nights plan to new EV buyers. With Free Charge Nights, customers can offset their charging costs by receiving credits for electricity used between 11 pm and 6 am. The plan is powered entirely by renewable energy, thanks to the purchase of renewable energy certificates (RECs).
Rasesh Patel, president of NRG Consumer, says the plan is about making power personal: “We’re excited to help Chevrolet EV drivers offset the cost of charging their vehicle all while having access to a renewable electricity plan.”
This collaboration aims to make EV adoption more appealing by making charging cheaper and greener. GM Energy’s chief revenue officer, Aseem Kapur, emphasized that partnerships like this help build the ecosystem needed to support an all-electric future: “The Reliant Free Charge Nights plan is a great example of how an automaker and an energy company can work together to make EV adoption an easy decision.”
Existing Reliant customers can also sign up for the Free Charge Nights plan. To get started, Chevrolet EV owners need to designate their vehicle on the GM Energy Smart Charging Portal before enrolling in the plan.
Reliant Energy, a subsidiary of NRG Energy, serves over 1.5 million customers in Texas, making it one of the largest electricity providers in the state.
Read more: Texas to get 1 GW AI-powered virtual power plant, enough to power 200,000 homes
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Texas is about to get a major power boost – a new AI-powered virtual power plant (VPP) delivering capacity equivalent to 200,000 homes during peak demand.
NRG Energy is teaming up with Renew Home to bring nearly 1 gigawatt (GW) of capacity to the Texas grid by 2035, aiming to make it more resilient while helping residents save on energy costs.
The new VPP will rely on hundreds of thousands of smart thermostats and other connected home devices, making use of AI technology provided by Google Cloud. These devices, like Vivint and Nest smart thermostats, will be offered to eligible customers at no cost. By automating HVAC adjustments, they help shift energy use to when electricity is cheaper, cleaner, and less strained.
NRG and Renew Home have big plans for the VPP. Starting in spring 2025, the companies plan to roll out the program across Texas, installing these smart thermostats in homes served by NRG’s retail electricity providers. Eventually, they plan to add home battery storage and EVs to expand the power plant’s capabilities.
Texas has faced record-breaking energy demands, with peak usage hitting 85 GW in 2023. As the state’s population grows and extreme weather becomes more frequent, VPPs like this one could play a key role in stabilizing the grid. VPPs aggregate a lot of small-scale energy resources, from smart thermostats to home batteries, and use them to help balance supply and demand during times of high stress on the grid.
This nearly 1 GW VPP will be one of the largest of its kind in Texas. NRG’s president of consumer operations, Rasesh Patel, calls it a “pivotal step” for improving customer experience while making Texas’ energy infrastructure more sustainable and resilient.
In addition to Renew Home, NRG is working with Google Cloud to maximize the power plant’s effectiveness. Google Cloud’s AI and analytics tools will help predict weather conditions, forecast renewable generation, and optimize energy usage, all of which will help make energy management smoother for both customers and the grid.
Ben Brown, CEO of Renew Home, said:
NRG’s commitment to creating a more resilient and sustainable energy future while also making electricity bills more affordable makes them an ideal partner for co-developing this unique VPP program.
This initiative raises the bar for future-proofing our electricity infrastructure and delivering cost savings to customers.
Read: Chinese solar giant Trina sells its Texas factory a week after it opens
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