XPeng AeroHT, the largest flying car company in Asia and an affiliate of XPeng, has conducted the first flight of its electric flying car, the XPeng X2, at the Skydive Dubai facility in the United Arab Emirates.

This flight, which took place at Skydive Dubai, located adjacent to The Palm, was witnessed by over 150 attendees, including representatives from the Chinese Consulate in Dubai, the Dubai International Chamber of Commerce, the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, the Dubai World Trade Centre and global media. It followed a keynote introduction to the X2 and the future of mobility by XPeng vice chairman and president Brian Gu, on the opening day of the GITEX Global event at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

Gu says: "The XPeng X2's public display in Dubai represents a significant milestone for XPeng AeroHT and the international achievement of flying cars. Dubai is a world-renowned city of innovation, which is the reason we decided to hold the X2 first public flight event here. The flight is a major step in XPeng's exploration of future mobility."

The Dubai International Chamber of Commerce has been deeply involved since the launch of the project, providing strategic consulting to the developer. Acting president and CEO Hassan Al Hashemi says: "The first global public flight of the X2 flying car will change the game of future mobility. The flying car is the epitome of ambition, innovation and future-oriented vision that has always inspired Dubai and its leadership. We witnessed a historic moment that will define the next 50 years."

The GITEX Global 2022 tech show featured 5,000 companies and 100,000 attendees from 170 countries, converging the most advanced companies and best minds to dive deep into diverse technology topics including future mobility. Organiser Dubai World Trade Centre executive vice president of events management Trixie LohMirmand says: "GITEX has played host to pivotal moments over the years. We are proud to support the first public flight of the pioneering XPeng AeroHT X2 flying car in partnership with the Dubai International Chamber. Electric flying cars are the future of travel and it is incredible to witness history in the making today."

The XPeng X2 is the fifth-generation flying car independently developed and manufactured by XPeng AeroHT. For the first time, the X2 adopts an enclosed cockpit with a minimalist teardrop-shaped design and a sci-fi appearance that takes high-efficient aerodynamics into account to achieve the ultimate in-flight performance. In order to reduce weight, the XPeng X2 has a complete carbon fibre structure. The two seater flying car does not produce any carbon dioxide emissions during flight and is a step forward in the pursuit of urban green transportation. It will be suitable for future low altitude city flights and is perfect for short distance city journeys such as sightseeing and medical transportation.

It is equipped with two driving modes: manual and autonomous. During autonomous flight, passengers can enjoy a safe and intelligent flying experience with simple start, return and landing operations at the touch of a button.

Working with the DCAA, the XPeng X2 successfully completed the specific operations risk assessment which allowed it to make its first public flight in Dubai. A professional XPeng team collected the technical information from the X2 R&D team and with reference to the international standard model, formulated the operation concept and X2 demonstration flight manual and assessed the operational risk. With the assistance of the Sanad Academy, the risk mitigation plan was developed to ensure that the X2 first public flight was carried out safely.

During the test, the XPeng X2 received appraisal from the DCAA reviewers for stability, as well as the standardisation of the entire flight operation process. This is the first time China's manned autonomous flying vehicle has completed its operational risk assessment overseas. XPeng AeroHT has thus become the first company to pass the assessment in Dubai in this specific weight class.

This next-generation electric flying car is able to drive in the air and on roads, and represents a true transformation from two-dimensional to three-dimensional mobility. As well as meeting daily travel demands, it can trigger the folding deformation system to achieve vertical take off and landing for a low altitude manned flight.