China firm showcases maiden commercial flying car with 18.6-mile range

GAC Group (Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., Ltd.) is one of China’s largest state-owned automakers, headquartered in Guangzhou. Founded in 1997, the company produces a wide range of vehicles under its brands which include GAC, AION (EVs), and Trumpchi.

It also has joint ventures with major global carmakers, such as Toyota, Honda, and Mitsubishi. In recent years, GAC has aggressively expanded into electric and smart mobility, positioning itself as a leader in China’s push toward sustainable and high-tech transportation.

Full charge in 25 minutes

The vehicle has an estimated price tag of around 1.69 million yuan ($233,000) and a range of approximately 18.64 miles (30 kilometers) per charge. This suggests that it is intended for urban use rather than long-distance travel.

According to GAC, the eVTOL benefits from a full charge in 25 minutes and a 50% charge in 15 minutes thanks to its high-density, large cylindrical batteries. The vehicle is a two-seater with gull-wing doors and a top-mounted rotor.

Other features include 5G, voice assistant, scent, temperature & music controls. It also comes with a cloud-based system that performs self-checks, flight redundancy, and L4 ground autonomy.

The latter is an intelligent driving system with computing power exceeding 500 TOPS and a maximum detection range of over 984 feet (300 meters). The passenger cabin is also reportedly separable, ensuring safe operation even if the power unit malfunctions. The eVTOL is also lightweight with a 90% carbon fiber fuselage.

Production and delivery by 2026

GAC’s launch fits into the broader ‘low-altitude’ air transportation boom in China and across the globe, which is projected to become a trillion-dollar sector. Multiple Chinese automakers (e.g, XPeng, Geely, Changan) are pushing into flying cars to capture early market share.

Regarding the prospective timeline for the Govy AirCab, airworthiness certification is currently in progress with trial operations already underway. The company anticipates mass production to commence around 2026, with first deliveries to customers scheduled for the same year.

With similar production and delivery timelines, the XPeng AeroHT’s Land Aircraft Carrier is a direct competitor and is expected to be priced at approximately 2.07 million yuan ($288,000). GAC aims to undercut that price and leverage its global expansion to accelerate adoption.

Looking at the bigger picture, GAC is moving full throttle into the future of transportation, both on land and in the air, while utilizing the Govy AirCab as a tech flagship to position itself as a global mobility brand.

Aiming to be seen as more than a conventional carmaker, GAC’s goal is less about replacing your car with a drone and more about dominating the coming wave of short-range air mobility in dense urban zones, especially in China’s megacities. Whether the tech and regulations keep up is the next big test.