China’s first distributed electric-driven flying car – Southeast University Kunpeng No.1 – was developed and unveiled by a research team at Southeast University in East China’s Jiangsu Province. It features full steering and all-wheel drive capabilities, according to a press release sent to the Global Times by Southeast University on Thursday.
The vehicle features a configuration with four coaxial rotors. Yin Guodong, the project leader, also a professor from School of Mechanical Engineering of Southeast University noted that the research aims to pioneer new modes of transportation for the future and contribute more efforts to the low-altitude economy.
Unlike traditional electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, the Southeast University Kunpeng No.1 is designed as an integrated land-air vehicle, which combines ground mobility and the movement capabilities of aerial vehicles, according to the university.
“This is China’s first flying car based on distributed electric drive technology, using a car as its primary carrier, rather than relying on drone technology, enabling smooth transitions between driving on the ground and flying in the air,” said Yin.
With a maximum take-off weight of 500 kilograms, the vehicle has a flight endurance of at least 20 minutes and reaches a maximum flying height of more than 300 meters. In ground mode, it can achieve a top speed of 60 kilometers per hour, according to the university.
Currently, it relies on a high-capacity power battery. The research team is also working on more research, expected to extend flight durations to over two hours in the next-generation flying cars, according to the university.
The flying car represents a multidisciplinary integration and innovation, spanning mechanical, vehicle, electrical, and control sciences, among other disciplines.
In a related development, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said that the home-grown four-seat electric aircraft RX4E, developed by Liaoning General Aviation Academy of Shenyang Aerospace University, has been granted a type certificate for airworthiness, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Thursday.
It is China’s first normal-category aircraft powered by electric batteries to receive official type certification from China’s airline regulator, marking a milestone in the nation’s new-energy electric aircraft technology.
The RX4E is China’s first fully electric, normal-category aircraft designed to comply with CCAR-23, China’s civil aviation regulations governing airworthiness for normal category aircraft, which includes small aircraft, Xinhua reported.
The e-aircraft has a wingspan of 13.5 meters, a length of 8.4 meters, and a maximum take-off weight of 1,260 kilograms. It is powered by a lithium battery with a total capacity of 70 kWh and has an electric propulsion system capable of reaching a maximum output of 140 kW.
Meanwhile, the aircraft can achieve a maximum flight time of 1.5 hours and is notable for its zero carbon emissions, low noise, cost-effective operation, and high reliability.
This aircraft could be used in pilot training, sightseeing, recreational flying, aerial photography and aviation surveying, Xinhua reported.
Moreover, efforts are underway to develop more variants, including sea-borne, snow-based, ice-based, hydrogen-powered, and other specialized models, to broaden its applications and boost market competitiveness.
Under relevant Chinese regulations, normal-category aircraft refer to small aircraft with 19 or fewer passenger seats and a maximum certificated take-off weight of no more than 8,618 kilograms.
China’s low-altitude economy is experiencing rapid growth, driven by an incessantly improving industrial environment and robust supply chains. According to data from CCID Consulting, the low-altitude economy is projected to reach a market size of 670.25 billion yuan ($93.9 billion) in 2024.
Global Times
