In a city that is not unfamiliar with spectacular scenery, a Chinese-made flying car hanging on one of the most luxurious coastal resorts in Dubai still attracts all eyes.
On October 12, China's Aridge company (a subsidiary of XPENG AEROHT) conducted the first manned flight of its "ground aircraft carrier" model in the UAE. This is considered the company's latest step in its plan to conquer the transportation market for the super-rich in the region.
This model has a 2-in-1 design, including a "mother boat" and a flight modular. The "Mother Boat" is a large electric vehicle moving on the ground. When needed, the rear hold will open and launch a smaller flight modular.
This flight modular is a small electric aircraft that can take off and land vertically like a helicopter. According to Aridge, this design has attracted 600 pre-orders from large corporations in the UAE and Qatar.
Regarding the selling price, Aridge said that this flying car model will cost less than 270,000 USD in the Chinese market, while the price for the UAE market has not been announced.
The airline emphasized that the operation is very simple, requiring just a controller and automatic flight mode. Our goal is that everyone can fly, you dont have to be a professional pilot, said Michael Chao Du, CFO of Aridge.
Aridge is part of the future technology development trend in the UAE. The advancement of battery technology has driven the emergence of a series of flying taxi companies around the world.
However, this industry is facing a big financial question. Although billions of dollars have been invested in research and production, it is still unclear whether flying cars can become a mass market, or will be just a luxury toy for the super-rich.
To enter the market, Aridge made a significant step forward in September when it was granted a special flight license by the UAE Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). This license has paved the way for a recent test flight with a pilot in Dubai.
"Automotics is the future of mobility," said Ali Al Blooshi, a Dubai airline official. We expect them to be more affordable soon."
As for Aridge, the company said it has started mass production at a factory in China with a capacity of 10,000 units per year and plans to sell the first units to consumers in 2027.
