French media: China's flying car industry is experiencing rapid development, but profitability remains difficult
AFP reports that some car companies in China are turning their attention to the emerging industry of flying cars.
A worker wearing white gloves is inspecting the propeller of a two-seater triangular flying vehicle that has just come off the production line. It is said that these vehicles will be the first mass-produced flying cars in the world.
This scene took place in an industrial area in Guangzhou, southern China, inside Aridge's new factory, a subsidiary of Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer XPeng. The factory was completed in September and has been conducting trial production of flying cars since November. These vehicles resemble a large black and white bee in appearance.
Technical and regulatory obstacles have limited the rapid development of flying cars globally. However, Chinese companies are actively promoting the rise of flying cars by leveraging their technical experience in electric vehicles and drones, as there are many similar technologies between the two. They also receive government support.
"China has the potential to take a commercial leading position in this market," said Professor Zhang Yangjun from the School of Vehicle and Mobility at Tsinghua University in Beijing. He explained, "Future competition will increasingly revolve around cost control and supply chain efficiency, which are China's strengths."
In the Aridge factory, robots move between production lines, transporting parts to be assembled into vertical takeoff and landing flying vehicles that can carry two passengers. The six propellers of the vehicle can be folded, reducing the entire module's size to fit into the size of a large six-wheeled vehicle, known as the "mothership," which is produced in a nearby factory.
XPeng stated that when the factory reaches full production, it can produce one flying car every 30 minutes. The company has already received over 7,000 pre-orders and plans to start deliveries next year.
However, it will still take time for flying cars to become daily transportation tools.
Intense market competition
"Regulation, consumer trust in the product, air traffic management, and adjustments to the supply chain all need to be gradually adapted," said Du Jianhong, vice president of Aridge, recently to reporters.
The competition among global technology giants is intensifying. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, has stated that he plans to showcase a flying car prototype. Glenn Curtiss, an American aviation pioneer, demonstrated the world's first flying car prototype in 1917. However, it was only with technological advances in electric motors and high-performance batteries that it became possible to manufacture flying car prototypes with good performance.
Several companies, including Joby and Archer in California, as well as Aridge, EHang, and Volant in China, have conducted manned flight tests. EHang has become the first flying car company in the world to obtain all commercial operation permits and plans to launch commercial services in 2025, while Aridge has not yet crossed this threshold. EHang plans to launch aerial taxi services within three years, with fares comparable to premium ground taxis.
Profitability remains challenging
The Chinese government shares the same view. The five-year plan has listed "low-altitude economy" (flying cars, drones, and aerial taxis) as a strategic industry.
A Boston Consulting Group report shows that the Chinese flying car market is approaching a "decisive turning point," with an expected market size of $41 billion by 2040. However, manufacturers still need to find a profitable model.
In Europe, some companies have gone bankrupt, and in the United States, some companies have invested heavily without reaching the mass production stage.
Experts remind not to oversimplify comparisons between China and Western countries.
"In terms of the electric vehicle supply chain, China is far ahead," said Brandon Wang, an investor from Beijing, whose investment portfolio includes artificial intelligence, robotics, and flying cars. He said that the certification of electric vehicle-qualified components for flying cars will help accelerate the production process, and also mentioned that Chinese engineers have the ability to solve production problems. However, he pointed out another challenge remains, as most Chinese people have never taken a plane. In the United States, taking small planes is relatively common, and the airspace is generally more open than in China.
Sources: rfi
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1850205899990023/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author."