GAC's flying taxi is almost ready

The first demonstration went well and by 2027, cars will be flying over two or three cities.

Photo by: GAC

By: Eleonora Lilli

Nov 17, 2024 at 3:45am ET

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China is well on its way with vertical take-off cars (eVTOLs). GAC unveiled its GOVE flying taxi, the one that can split in two before taking flight, last year and now, at the 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, that machine has flown again.

The first practical demonstration took place last year at the GAC Technology Day. In March 2023, GOVE completed its first flight demonstration in a low-altitude urban environment over the Guangzhou Central Business District. Finally, on 11 September, the Civil Aviation Administration of China Central and Southern Region gave it a special flight certificate for civil unmanned aircraft (more than 400 flight checks have been carried out so far).

In fact, the goal is to put this craft into service in at least two or three Chinese cities, in the Greater Bay Area of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao, within two years.

A market that appeals to many

In China, GAC is not alone in investing in this new form of mobility, Xpeng (its is a drone van), Chery, and Geely are also in the mix. It is a business that should be worth a lot.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China estimates that by 2025, the market size of China's low-flying economy will reach 1.5 trillion yuan (£173 billion) and is expected to exceed 3.5 trillion yuan (£404 billion) by 2035.

Trials are also proceeding apace in the United States (in Los Angeles, Stellantis taxis are expected to fly before the 2028 Olympics), Japan (think Joby-Toyota aerotaxi), and Europe (Airbus' flying car is in trials).

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What makes the GOVE special is the decoupled configuration in which the flight deck and chassis can be separated or combined to realise three scenarios: ground driving, air flight, and air-to-ground docking.

The GOVE chassis is both an intelligent take-off and landing platform for the flight deck and a mobile charging station. In addition, the GOVE flight cabin adopts a 6-axis, 12-propeller multi-rotor configuration, while the single-axis output lift exceeds one-third of the maximum take-off weight.