European Flying Car Technology Sold to China

• Chinese firm acquires technology for AirCar, a successful flying car tested in Europe, aiming to utilize it within a specific region in China.
• Despite advancements in flying transport solutions in China, infrastructure, regulation, and public acceptance remain significant obstacles.

Technology used to build and test-fly flying cars first developed and tested successfully in Europe has now been acquired by a Chinese firm.

AirCar, powered by a BMW engine and using regular fuel, successfully completed 35 minute flights between two Slovakian airports using runways as takeoff/landing spots in 2021.

Transition from car to aircraft took approximately two minutes.

Vehicles built using this design will soon be utilized within an undisclosed region in China. Hebei Jianxin Flying Car Technology Company in Cangzhou has acquired exclusive rights for AirCar manufacture and use within that geographical region.

KleinVision, which created AirCar, announced on September 23 that they have completed construction on their own airport and flight school after purchasing one from another Slovak aircraft manufacturer, according to Anton Zajac co-founder of KleinVision and creator of AirCar.

China, having led the EV revolution, is now actively creating flying transport solutions.

Recently, Autoflight conducted a test flight of its passenger-carrying drone between Shenzhen and Zhuhai cities – typically taking three hours by car but completed within 20 minutes with this aircraft carrying no passengers at all.

Chinese firm eHang received an approval by Chinese officials for its electric flying taxi and is being given an official safety certification by that nation in 2023. Furthermore, UK officials have proposed flying taxis could become common place by 2028.

Contrary to these passenger drone aircrafts, AirCar requires a runway for take off and landing.

KleinVision did not disclose how much AirCar was sold for; however, Slovak Transport Authority issued it a certificate of airworthiness in 2022 and featured in an AirCar video by YouTuber Mr Beast earlier this year.

Infrastructure, regulation and public acceptance remain major obstacles to this form of transport.

“Personal transport has proven itself as an incredible leveler,” stated aviation consultant Steve Wright. Attempts by governments around the globe to regulate this sector created “scrambling”, forcing everyone involved with personal transport “to come up with new questions that need answering”.

“In some respects, the West’s history can slow things down; there may be an temptation to force new machines into old categories,” Mr Wright noted. China could seize upon this as an opportunity to gain ground.

Concerns surrounding electric car ownership once applied to China – now one of the leading markets globally for them.

China could follow Slovakia in selling flying cars after they sold one for EUR1.35m at auction this week in Slovakia.

Mr Wright noted that prototypes like the AirCar were “great fun”, yet real world experiences often turn into much less exciting situations due to lines, baggage checks and so forth.