XPeng AeroHT Voyager X1 (production model)

Voyager X1 (production model)
XPeng AeroHT
Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
www.aeroht.com

With funding from XPeng Motors, XPeng AeroHT was founded in 2020 as one of its subdivisions and is located in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. XPeng AeroHT is in the business of designing and manufacturing electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) passenger aircraft for advanced air mobility (AAM). The company was originally founded as Heitech in 2013 by Zhao Deli in Dongguan, Guangdong, China and was later purchased by XPeng Motors. He Xiaopeng is the Chairman and CEO of XPeng Motors and the Chairman of XPeng AeroHT. Zhao Deli is currently the president of XPeng AeroHT,  Wang Tan is the co-founder, vice president and chief designer of XPeng AeroHT and Zheng Congwei is the vice president of XPeng AeroHT. (Image credit: XPeng AeroHT)

XPeng Motors was founded in 2014 by He Xiaopeng, Henry Xia and He Tao and is a leading Chinese all-electric vehicle and technology company that designs, develops and manufactures intelligent automobiles that are seamlessly integrated with the Internet and utilize the latest advances in artificial intelligence. The headquarters are located in Guangzhou, China.

The company's manufacturing philosophy centers around quality, continuous improvement, flexibility and high operating efficiency. XPeng's goal is to make smart electric vehicles with technology and data, and shape the consumer mobility experience of the future. XPeng went public in the U.S. in August 2020 and has completed a dual-primary listing in Hong Kong.

Voyager X1 one passenger autonomous eVTOL multicopter production aircraft
The Voyager X1 is the company's fourth generation one passenger autonomous VTOL multicopter aircraft. The Voyager X1 is a production aircraft that is for sale by the company. The name of the aircraft can be translated in two ways, either Voyager X1 or Traveler X1. The aircraft was revealed to the public for the first time at the 2021 Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition (China).

The aircraft is flown by a real-time command and dispatching center. The passenger is seated in an open cockpit and the fuselage forms a high wall behind the back of the passenger see and is a safety feature and is similar to a roll bar. The aircraft has a two-way 4G/5G communication system. The approximate maximum speed of the aircraft 130 km/h (81 mph), the range is estimated at 30-40 km (19-25 miles) and the cruise altitude is expected to be in the range of 300-500 m (984-1,640 ft). The flight time for the aircraft is expected to be 35-45 minutes.

The aircraft has eight propellers and eight electric motors located on the ends of four booms that are on the corners of the aircraft at a 45 degree angle. The propellers are stacked in pairs of two. The booms can be folded into the fuselage or removed for moving and storage purposes. The fuselage is a carbon fiber composite airframe with aviation aluminum structure. The aircraft lands on fixed skid landing gear.

The aircraft was designed to be the size of a car so that it will easily fit into a garage, driveway or standard parking space. The four small wheeled-dollies seen in two pictures below, can be placed under the skid landing gear to move the aircraft easily while on the ground. Some of the safety features of the multicopter include distributed electric propulsion (DEP), multiple redundant systems, spherical environment detection, autonomous return and landing, ground monitoring, real time video, omnidirectional camera and an emergency ballistic parachute.

The company foresees the Voyager X1 to be used for advance air mobility, sightseeing, search and rescue, public services and more.

Specifications:

• Aircraft type: eVTOL passenger multicopter
• Piloting: Autonomous
• Capacity: 1 person
• Maximum speed (approximately): 130 km/h (81 mph)
• Range (approximately): 30-40 km (19-25 miles)
• Flight time (approximately): 35-45 minutes
• Cruise altitude: 300-500 m (984-1,640 ft)
• Propellers: 8 propellers
• Electric motors: 8 electric propellers
• Power source: Four independent battery packs
• Fuselage: Carbon fiber composite airframe with aviation aluminum structure
• Window: Open cockpit with front windshield
• Landing gear: Fixed skid landing gear
• 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 multiple redundancies in the sub-systems of the aircraft, spherical environment detection, autonomous return and landing, ground monitoring, real time video, omnidirectional camera, an emergency ballistic parachute and more.

Related Aircraft:

• GroundAero Sport Utility Aircraft (defunct)
• XPeng AeroHT Air F1 (defunct)
• XPeng AeroHT Cruiser (concept design)
• XPeng AeroHT eVTOL Flying Car (concept design)
• XPeng AeroHT Flying Car (concept design)
• XPeng AeroHT Magic Cloud (defunct)
• XPeng AeroHT Modular Flying Car (concept design)
• XPeng AeroHT Skimmer (concept design)
• XPeng AeroHT Snow Flyer (concept design)
• XPeng AeroHT Sport (concept design)
• XPeng AeroHT T1 (production model)
• XPeng AeroHT Tilt-Wing (technology demonstrator)
• XPeng AeroHT Voyager X2 (production model)
• XPeng AeroHT X3 (concept)
• XPeng AeroHT X3 (technology demonstrator)

Company Insights:

• CBInsights
• Crunchbase
• Pitchbook
• Tracxn

Resources:

• XPeng AeroHT website
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• XPeng AeroHT Twitter
• XPeng AeroHT YouTube
• XPeng AeroHT TikTok
• XPeng AeroHT Pinterest
• XPeng AeroHT Instagram
• XPeng AeroHT LinkedIn
• XPeng Motors website
• XPeng Motors Facebook
• XPeng Motors Twitter
• XPeng Motors YouTube Channel
• XPeng Motors LinkedIn
• Video: XPENG X1 TEST FLIGHT ABOVE THE RIVER, XPeng AeroHT, Mar. 21, 2021
• Video: XPENG DRONE #XPEV, Howard Tsao, Apr. 2, 2021
• Article: Chinese NEV start-up XPeng to launch the latest version of flight vehicle by the end of 2021, carrying more passengers, Global Times, Apr. 19, 2021
• Video: XPENG X1 FLYING ACROSS THE RIVER, XPeng AeroHT, Aug. 18, 2021
• Video: XPENG X1 FORMATION FLYING, XPeng AeroHT, Aug. 18, 2021
• Article: Xpeng X1 and X2 Fly in China, Sustainable Skies, Sept. 1, 2021
• Article: China’s Rising eVTOL Industry, Electric VTOL News, Nov/Dec 2021
• Video: XPENG X1 FLYING CAR MANNED TEST FLIGHT, XPeng AeroHT, Mar. 4, 2022
• Video: UNLOCK A NEW WAY TO TRAVEL, XPeng AeroHT, Mar. 25, 2022