Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC) Govy AirCar (prototype)

(Photo credit: Guangzhou Automobile Group, GAC)

Govy AirCar (prototype)
Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., Ltd.
Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
www.gac.com.cn

Founded in 1955, state owned Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., Ltd. (GAC) is currently the fifth largest automobile manufacturer in China with their headquarters in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. The company makes conventional automobile, electric vehicles and charging stations. The company reported in July 2022 that will now be developing flying cars. The company then revealed its passenger electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) prototype aircraft and roadable vehicle for advanced air mobility (AAM) and other mobility solutions on June 26, 2023 at the GAC Tech Day in China. (All images GAC credit.)

The Govy AirCar is a one passenger eVTOL aircraft and roadable prototype vehicle
The Govy AirCar is an autonomous one passenger eVTOL aircraft and roadable prototype vehicle for on-demand ground and air taxi service for advance air mobility. On December 18, 2024, the company revealed that the Gove roadable aircraft's name was changed to the Govy AirCar. On the same day, the company revealed their eVTOL aircraft brand is called Govy. GOVE was an acronym for Guangzhou Automobile Group on-the-go vertical flight electric vehicle.

The roadable and air vehicle consists of two separate units, the flight pod and the road chassis, both can travel together or independently of each other. When the flight pod is on the chassis and driving on the road, the propeller arms fold inward and then the propeller booms will extend for flight mode.

A computer-generated imagery (CGI) video made by the company shows that the Govy AirCar can be in route traveling on a road and the flight pod can take off safely from the moving chassis. The chassis is remotely controlled and when the aircraft takes off, the chassis will be driven to the nearest charging station that is in need of the chassis. At the end of the video, it shows a long range eVTOL aircraft with dedicated VTOL propellers, electric ducted fans for forward flight and wings. It seems the company might have plans to design and produce more than one model of passenger eVTOL aircraft.

The aircraft has an estimated range of flight 200 km (124 miles). The aircraft pod has 12 propellers, 12 electric motors and batteries for its power source. The company foresees building many charging stations in urban areas (and possibly rural areas) powered by solar panels to charge both parts of the vehicle. With multiple charging stations, the pods can take flight and dock onto another chassis at its destination. If there are too many chassis at one charging station, they can be driven remotely to other charging stations for the flight pods.

Maiden flight
One article revealed the Govy AirCar made its maiden flight during the 2023 Tech Day event and one picture of the flight was on GAC Group's news web page. Specific details on the maiden flight were not revealed by the company in any press release as of June 2023.

Update on test flights
As of November 2024, the Govy AirCar has successfully completed over 400 flight tests. On December 12, 2024 the vehicle won the Annual Science and Technology Innovation Product award at the 2024 Science and Technology Innovation Conference in Beijing, China.

Special commercial flight permit
In late 2024, the company obtained a special commercial flight permit from Chinese regulators for the single passenger roadable eVTOL vehicle. The permit enables the institute to accelerate product development, bringing the vehicle closer to airworthiness certification and eventual commercialization.

Future
The company us planning demonstration flights to take place in 2025 to test their eVTOL aircraft. Also in 2025, the company plans certify their aircraft, layout production lines, start pre-orders then gradually begin to sell their eVTOL aircraft. Then in 2027, the company will begin commercialization of connecting two to three major cities with their aircraft.

Specifications:

• Aircraft type: One passenger eVTOL aircraft and roadable prototype vehicle, with detachable flying passenger pod
• Piloting: Autonomous
• Capacity: 1 passenger
• Range: 200 km (124 miles)
• Propellers: 12 propellers
• Electric motors: 12 electric motors
• Power source: Batteries
• Fuselage: Carbon fiber composite
• Windows: Panoramic wrap around windows allowing forward, left and right visibility for spectacular views with a solid roof above the passenger compartment
• Landing gear: Lands on the ground chassis that has 4 wheels for road travel
• Safety features: Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP), provides safety through redundancy for its passengers and/or cargo. DEP means having multiple propellers (or ducted fans) and motors on the aircraft so if one or more propellers (ducted fans) or motors fail, the other working propellers (or ducted fans) and motors can safely land the aircraft. There are also redundancies of critical components in the sub-systems of the aircraft.

Related Aircraft:

• Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC) Govy AirJet

Company Insights:

• Crunchbase
• MarketWatch
• Pitchbook
• Tracxn
• Wikipedia

Resources:

• Guangzhou Automobile Group website
• Guangzhou Motor Facebook
• Guangzhou Motor Twitter
• Guangzhou Automobile Group YouTube Channel
• Guangzhou Motor Instagram
• Guangzhou Automobile Group LinkedIn
• Article: GAC Group Enters Flying Car Sector, Pandaily, July 26, 2022
• Article: GAC Flying Vehicle and other technologies debuted on the Technology Day!, GAC Group, June 26, 2023
• Article: GAC unveils futuristic car, eVTOL combo that has already completed maiden flight [Video], Electrek, June 26, 2023
• Article: China's GAC unveils flying car that can travel on road, Nikkei Asia, June 27, 2023
• Article: GAC unveils eVTOL Gove, consisting of two separate parts, CNEV Post, June 26, 2023
• Article: GAC’s Flying Car GOVE Makes Maiden Flight, YiCai Global, June 26, 2023
• Article: Straight from a sci-fi film - GAC unveils its first EV modular flying car, Wap Car, June 27, 2023
• Article: GAC Group unveils first flying car ‘GOVE’ at GAC TECH DAY 2023, Gasgoo, June 26, 2023
• Article: TWO FOR ONE World’s weirdest flying car that splits in HALF so you can fly over traffic – before the wheels drive themselves home, The U.S. Sun, Nov. 12, 2024
• Article: GAC unveiled Govy AirJet eVTOL under new flying car brand, Car News China, Dec. 18, 2024