China’s Xpeng to mass produce flying cars next year

One of its most promising businesses is its flying-car division, which began in 2013 as Xpeng Aeroht. In 2020, the division was formalized as a tech arm mostly owned by Xpeng. The firm intends to release its first production vehicle in 2026 and aspires to lead in low-altitude VTOL craft. A test flight mishap recently garnered public attention.

Before ramping up manufacturing, the division underwent a full rebrand at a 12 October event in Dubai. It will now go by Aridge, marking a step toward greater independence from Xpeng. The new name blends “Air” and “Bridge.” Alongside a fresh logo derived from the Chinese character for “fly,” Aridge disclosed a landmark overseas deal: it will deliver 600 flying cars to partners in the Middle East — likely the largest foreign order in the industry so far.

Aridge plans to launch in the Middle East as early as 2027, and during the Dubai showcase it performed its first manned flight outside China. The company says preorder interest already stands at roughly 7,000 units for its modular “Land Aircraft Carrier” model.

Its brand-new production facility in Guangzhou, completed in late September, is claimed to be the first “intelligent” factory for flying cars, with automated lines built for mass manufacturing.