I Saw the Future of Transport: XPENG’s Land Aircraft Carrier Is Real, and It’s Coming in 2026

One of the highlights of my recent Global Media Tour with XPENG was a visit to their “Flying Car Museum.” XPENG positions itself as a technology company that makes cars, and it’s clear their ambitions extend well beyond the road, into broader mobility and low-altitude aviation. That ambition led to ARIDGE, a former XPENG incubation project that has now spun out as its own company.

Among the concepts on display, the stand-out for me was the “Land Aircraft Carrier,” pictured below. It’s real, it’s coming in 2026, and it has genuine real-world applications.

What Is the ARIDGE Land Aircraft Carrier?

The name is literal: a vehicle that’s part “land carrier,” part “aircraft,” designed to work as a unified system.

The ‘Land Carrier’

The land component is a hefty three-axle, six-wheel-drive hybrid-electric truck with clear Cybertruck-inspired design cues. It measures about 5.5 metres long and roughly 2 metres wide and tall.

Its job is simple: act as a mobile base, charging station and hangar for the aircraft. Built on an 800V platform with an extended-range electric powertrain (EREV), the onboard generator exists solely to charge the battery, allowing a total range of more than 1,000km (CLTC) — critical for off-grid / remote location usage.

The ‘Aircraft’

The aircraft is a two-seat electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) pod. Stored in the truck’s bed, it detaches, unfolds its propellers, and takes flight.

It features a 270-degree panoramic cockpit and uses lightweight aviation-grade composites, which make up over 42% of the airframe. Flight time is 30 minutes with a top operation speed of 60km/h, giving an effective range of around 30km. That supports trips of roughly 15-20km before returning to base.

When the battery is low, you land, dock it, and the truck recharges it from 30% to 80% in 18 minutes, enough for six flights before the truck itself needs a top-up.

Designed for low-altitude personal travel, it’s meant to offer a new experience of traveling, not break speed records.

How It Flies — and Safety

ARIDGE has focused heavily on simplicity and safety. The aircraft is controlled via a single joystick, and the company claims most people can reach basic proficiency within about 10 minutes. XPENG’s intelligent flight system manages most of the complex controls.

Safety redundancy is built in across the board: the propulsion system is designed to withstand a dual propeller failure, it runs on two independent battery packs, and the flight controller uses triple-redundant computing.

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Where It Will be Used (China’s Low-Altitude Economy)

China is rolling out flying-car pilot licences that can be obtained in about four weekends, part of the country’s growing “low-altitude economy.”

ARIDGE has plans for first owners to safely experience their new flying toy. Dedicated locations across thousands of China's national parks where people can learn and master their new skills while enjoying breathtaking aerial escapades.

Production and Pricing

ARIDGE plans to start deliveries in early 2026. The full system is priced at around US$280,000 in China Mainland, and the company reports more than 7,000 orders so far. Initial customer operations will take place at designated low-altitude flight zones within national parks.

Production will take place at ARIDGE’s Guangzhou Huangpu plant, with capacity for 10,000 units per year. It’s the world’s first mass-production flying-car factory designed for output at this scale, capable of completing one flying module every 30 minutes at full capacity.

zecar’s take

The Land Aircraft Carrier is a significant engineering achievement, shifting a long-dismissed concept into a credible real-world product. Its wider impact will depend on regulatory progress and the rollout of infrastructure to support routine eVTOL use, areas that currently trail the technology.

While the price places it firmly in luxury territory, its potential in specialised fields such as search and rescue is interesting. ARIDGE’s progress reflects focused execution on an ambitious vision, moving the conversation from if these vehicles are possible to how they’ll fit into future transport systems.