The rise of the low-altitude economy is happening at a remarkable pace, marked by its distinctive charm and immense potentialIn recent years, this sector has captured the imagination of industries, policymakers, and the public alike, emerging as a fresh star in economic discussionsOfficially included in national planning in 2021, it saw its first mention in the government work report by 2024, leading to a surge of interest across various sectorsExperts predict that by 2026, China's low-altitude economy could exceed a staggering trillion yuan, showcasing the vast opportunities that lie within this nascent industry.

As the concept of low-altitude economy gains traction, major automobile manufacturers are rapidly entering this new arena, focusing on the development of flying carsIn just one week, three prominent car companies made significant announcements regarding their advances in the flying car market

On December 14, Xiaopeng Motors unveiled its split-body flying car, dubbed the "Land Aircraft Carrier," in Shanghai, followed by GAC Group’s launch of a new flying car brand on December 18. By December 21, Changan Automobile announced a strategic partnership with EHang Intelligent, signaling its intentions to invest heavily in the flying car infrastructure.

Among the players in this rapidly evolving field, GAC Group is making notable stridesOn December 18, they debuted their new flying car brand, GOVY, introducing the GOVY AirJet—an innovative composite wing flying vehicle capable of traveling over 200km on a single charge and allowing for a swift refueling process within 30 minutesExcitingly, there are plans to enhance its battery technology, potentially extending its range to an impressive 400km.

Interestingly, this is not GAC's first foray into the flying vehicle sector

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Just last year, they unveiled their first multi-rotor flying vehicle at a tech day event, achieving successful test flightsGAC Group's General Manager Feng Xingya emphasized the company's commitment to advancing end-to-end intelligent driving technologies driven by generative AI, as well as integrating advanced multi-modal interaction systems to facilitate smarter urban mobility.

Meanwhile, Changan Automobile chose to collaborate with EHang to ignite innovation in flying vehicle technologyOn December 21, they officially signed a strategic cooperation agreement to develop various projects related to flying cars and electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraftChangan’s chairman, Zhu Huarong, announced a substantial investment exceeding 20 billion yuan in the next five years to fuel growth in the low-altitude economic landscape, with plans to invest over 100 billion yuan over the next decade to explore comprehensive transportation solutions across land, sea, and sky.

Simultaneously, Xiaopeng’s winged innovation captured attention with its public test flight in Shanghai

The "Land Aircraft Carrier" anticipates a retail price under 2 million yuan, with plans for mass production slated for 2026, aiming for an annual capacity of 10,000 unitsNotably, in October, other players like Chery showcased their three-body composite wing flying car at a global innovation conference, achieving a flight distance of approximately 80 kilometersMeanwhile, Geely's fully self-developed eVTOL, named AE200, successfully completed its second public demonstration flight in China.

As the low-altitude economy continues to gain momentum, a multitude of automotive firms are making high-profile entries into the flying car sectorThe enthusiasm stems from a deep understanding of the low-altitude economy's vast capabilitiesThis economy relies on the lower airspace, with general aviation as its backbone, merging emerging technologies with traditional sectors and expanding into various applications—ranging from aerial tourism and logistics to emergency rescue services and urban aerial mobility.

Government initiatives also reflect growing support for the low-altitude sector

Both national and local authorities are prioritizing the development of this economy, implementing policies and frameworks to catalyze growthIn Guangzhou, for instance, ambitious plans are set to elevate the overall scale of the low-altitude economy to around 150 billion yuan by 2027, alongside efforts to advance digital airspace and intelligent networksSimilarly, Shanghai has taken strong steps to establish demonstration sites for low-altitude intelligent driving, with its smart automotive software park launching pre-incubation projects in the drone sector in 2024.

Collectively, these policy measures are propelling the rapid industrialization of the low-altitude economyForecasts indicate an explosive growth trajectory for the global low-altitude economy market in the coming yearsIn China, ongoing reforms in low-altitude airspace management are refining the developmental landscape, leading experts to project that the market could surpass a trillion yuan by 2026.

Flying cars, serving as a pivotal symbol of the low-altitude economy, are set to play a crucial role in this growth, providing car manufacturers with new avenues for expanding their business

According to the founder of the GOVY brand, Su Qingpeng, GAC plans to kick off product certification processes for flying cars by 2025, preparing production lines and commencing reservations to achieve commercial viability for a multi-faceted transport system.

However, the road ahead is fraught with challenges that must be addressedSu candidly noted that pressing issues include regulatory gaps, vague policy frameworks, inadequate infrastructure, and the imperative to design safe yet cost-effective productsOn the technical front, advancements in propulsion systems, flight control, and safety measures are essential to enhance the performance of flying cars, particularly in terms of flight range and load capacity, all while maintaining safety standards.

From an ecological standpoint, developing the low-altitude economy hinges on robust infrastructure and supportive regulatory frameworks

Unfortunately, China’s current low-altitude infrastructure lags behind the needs of this growing sector, presenting a shortfall of sufficient takeoff and landing facilities and allied servicesAdditionally, regulations pertaining to airworthiness standards and flight management for flying cars remain underdeveloped, posing a major barrier to the sector's commercial adoption.

To confront these hurdles, automobile companies are investing heavily in research and development, driving technological innovations, and continually improving both the safety and performance of flying vehiclesMoreover, they are actively collaborating on industry standards and contributing to infrastructure planning to build a sustainable ecosystem for the low-altitude economy.

Wu Jian, the dean of the GAC Research Institute, emphasized that numerous technical challenges remain unresolved, such as enhancing battery energy density while ensuring mobility convenience and energy efficiency

The GAC Group is committed to fostering innovation—whether through original inventions or integrated developments—by applying aerodynamics from the aviation industry to flying cars to lower energy consumption and improve enduranceThey are also exploring next-generation battery technologies that offer double the energy density of current solutions“I believe that ultimately, the Greater Bay Area will fully embrace the ecological application of flying cars,” he stated.

The concerted efforts by automotive firms to delve into flying vehicles signify a bold venture into the future of mobility, representing a formidable catalyst for the low-altitude economy's evolutionWhile the journey is undoubtedly laden with challenges, continual advancements in technology and an improving regulatory ecosystem hint at a bright futureFlying cars could transition from mere concepts to reality, revolutionizing transport experiences and invigorating the low-altitude economy, heralding an era of accessible and efficient airborne travel.