The rich have luxury cars, luxury planes, helicopters. Then they moved on to luxury megayachts, then luxury megayachts with helicopters, and now for the first time they are offered the option of buying a luxury car with a helicopter.
Namely, the Chinese company Xpeng AeroHT made a car that carries a small helicopter inside – Land Aircraft Carrier.
It is a hybrid car that is the size of an average van. The only difference compared to a regular van is that it looks a bit futuristic, and it has six floors. And instead of a cargo space, in Xpeng there is a complex helicopter, also electric.
As the company says, this car was created for travel, and to turn that trip into a real adventure, it is enough to park and press the button. Then a helicopter comes out of the back area.
It has space for one person, and it can be used to visit numerous locations during a trip and explore them from a completely different point of view.
It only takes five minutes for the helicopter to get out of the car. The helicopter has six propellers with electric motors, so it resembles a large drone. It is made of carbon fiber to make it as light and durable as possible. It is operated with only one stick and has an autopilot option.
When the flight is over, it is enough to stand next to the car and fold the propellers. The “return” to the car also takes five minutes.
And while driving it lasts by car, the helicopter battery is charged with the help ofć car battery that has 800 volts. From Xpeng, however, they say that with that battery and with the help of internal combustion engine, the car can travel up to 1000 kilometers.
The car itself drives like any other electric car, has four seats, and fits in any standard parking space without any problems.
They presented the car last year at a fair in China, and they plan to make a bigger presentation in the USA this month. Testing is moreć was in Shanghai, when they successfully flew over the city. They announced tests in other cities as well.
However, despite the optimistic announcements, it remains to be seen whether this prototype will come to life and how, if it does, helicopters from cars will get the necessary permits to fly.