[Global Times in Germany, Aoki] "China is already a global leader in the development of electric vehicles, and now low-altitude flight transportation is becoming its next direction of strength." Austrian science and technology media "Futurezone" reported that the Slovak company Klein Vision recently announced that the company has signed a cooperation agreement with a flying car startup in Hebei, China, to sell its flying car "AirCar" related patents to the latter.
According to the European media, the flying car is powered by a BMW engine and can switch modes within three minutes, with dual functions of a car and an airplane. This flying car through the runway take-off and landing, there are two prototypes, flight speed up to 190-300 kilometers per hour. Currently, one of the prototype models of this flying car has received an airworthiness certificate from the Slovak Aviation Safety Agency, which means that it is ready to participate in air traffic. The BBC, also following the cooperation, said that AirCar, a flying car developed and successfully test-flown in Europe, has sold the patents for the technology to a Chinese company, which will have the right to manufacture and use it in certain regions.
"China hopes to commercialize electric flying cars by 2030," Germany's Winfuture news network said on March 29, the development of a "low-altitude economy" has been included in China's national planning for the first time. In December 2023, the Central Economic Work Conference explicitly proposed to build a number of strategic emerging industries, which also includes the low-altitude economy. According to several foreign media, the emerging low-altitude economy-related industries are expected to become one of the growth engines of China's economy in the future.
According to European media, China has been a world leader in the development of low-altitude sectors, including flying cars and electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOL), with many strong players emerging.2023 In October, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) formally issued the world's first unmanned manned eVTOL type qualification certificate to Yihang.2024 On Feb. 27, Shanghai Peak Flying Aeronautical Technology Co. successfully completed the world's first eVTOL type qualification certificate between Shenzhen and Zhuhai. Between Shenzhen and Zhuhai successfully completed the first flight of the world's first eVTOL cross-sea and cross-city air route.
"China is leading the way in the development of electric vehicles and is now also actively developing solutions for (low-altitude) flight transportation," the BBC said. The media outlet cited a previous statement by the British government that "flying cabs could become the norm in the air" by 2028.
Some European media also said that despite the potential of flying cars to revolutionize transportation, there are still some challenges, such as the lack of supporting infrastructure and safety controls. Flying cars still need to be accepted by the public and it will take some time before they become mainstream in the market. Nonetheless, the Austrian technology media Trendingtopics website said, "If there is one country that can bring flying cars into the mainstream, it's probably China."
