Xpeng Aeroht has filed a type certificate application for its modular flying car, which has been accepted by the civil aviation regulator.

(Image credit: Xpeng Aeroht)

Xpeng Aeroht, the flying car subsidiary of Xpeng (NYSE: XPEV), has filed a type certificate application for its modular flying car, setting the stage for commercial operations.

The type certificate application for the flying car's flying body, product code X3-F, was accepted by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) Central and Southern Region on March 21, according to a company press release today.

This marks the imminent entry of the flying car into the airworthiness certification phase, where the Chinese civil aviation regulator will review the design compliance and safety of the product and its components, Xpeng Aeroht said.

A type certificate is an approval of the type design of a civil aviation product, a document that certifies that a product complies with airworthiness regulations and environmental protection requirements.

Xpeng's development path for Aeroht's flying car will include an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) flying car and a modular flying car, the company said at its October 24, 2023 Tech Day event.

The modular vehicle will consist of a flying car and a parent vehicle that will power the flying car.

The mother vehicle will have an extended-range powertrain, 6*6 all-wheel drive, and support rear-wheel steering.

On January 10, Xpeng Aeroht said it will open pre-orders for its modular flying car in China in the fourth quarter, with mass production and delivery in the fourth quarter of 2025.

China has been gradually relaxing controls on low-altitude airspace over the past few years and has been piloting all-area low-altitude flights in a number of provinces, including Hunan.

On October 13, 2023, Chinese eVTOL developer Ehang said it EH216-S was officially issued a type certificate by the CAAC.

This demonstrates that the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) type design fully complies with the CAAC's safety standards and airworthiness requirements and is qualified for commercial operation of manned drones, Ehang said at the time.

On March 22, another Chinese eVTOL maker, Autoflight, said it received a type certificate for its V2000CG UAV.

Xpeng Aeroht to start pre-orders for its modular flying car in China in Q4