Collision and Ensuing Fire Involving Chinese Air Taxis - Air taxis from China suffer catastrophic collision, leading to intense flames
In an unexpected turn of events, Xpeng, the publicly traded electric vehicle manufacturer, experienced a setback in its flying taxi plans following an accident during a test for an air show in Changchun, China on September 1, 2025.
The incident involved two of Xpeng's flying taxis colliding mid-air and crashing, with one of the vehicles catching fire. Fortunately, only one person was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, which could have had more serious consequences during an actual public event. A pilot sustained minor injuries in the accident.
Xpeng's flying taxi subsidiary, Aeroht, describes itself as the largest company for flying cars in Asia. The subsidiary launched a flying taxi model from the trunk of a compatible car at the Munich Auto Show IAA, a repeat of the event that took place in Changchun.
The risks of flight operations for pilots, passengers, and people on the ground were highlighted by the incident. Xpeng and Aeroht have attributed the accident to "insufficient distance" between the involved flying taxis.
Xpeng, which generated around $5.7 billion in revenue in 2024, has been cooperating with Volkswagen since 2023. The two companies are currently developing an electric car for the Chinese market together.
Despite the setback, Xpeng aims to start series production of flying taxis as early as 2026, with its Guangzhou plant capable of producing up to 10,000 flying taxis per year. The company remains optimistic about the future of flying taxis, viewing this incident as a learning opportunity to ensure the safety and reliability of their flying taxi technology.
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