Volkswagen’s first manned aircraft was unveiled, capable of carrying four passengers
Volkswagen’s first manned aircraft was unveiled, capable of carrying four passengers, 2020, Volkswagen Group (China) The air mobility project was launched to explore next-generation travel solutions. Volkswagen unveiled its first manned aircraft, which can carry four passengers. Volkswagen's first manned aircraft was unveiled, capable of carrying four passengers1
Seeing that air travel has become a craze, Volkswagen, which makes cars, can't help but get involved.
Yes, Volkswagen, which makes cars, is going to "go to heaven". Don’t think wrongly, people are not so powerful that cars can fly directly. What Volkswagen wants to develop is manned aircraft. Although everyone has heard enough about aircraft and flying cars, for the public, this is indeed a brand new attempt.
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As early as 2 years ago, Volkswagen Group (China) launched the air mobility project. In February last year, current Volkswagen Group CEO Herbert Diess also posted a video on social networking sites, stating that Volkswagen hopes to develop a licensed unmanned aerial vehicle to lay the foundation for participating in the future market.
In order to develop better and more professional products, the Volkswagen Group has established a team of local Chinese experts to promote the progress of the air mobility project. At the same time, it has also cooperated with Hunan Shanhe, the market leader in the field of light sports aircraft. Technology and other local Chinese partners work closely together.
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After nearly 3 years of research, concept design and product development, the project team has finally completed the first verification machine—— V.MO. As a product still in the experimental stage, the prototype is built based on existing autonomous driving solutions and battery technology, and can achieve long-distance flight in the air!
Zero-emission travel, with a maximum range of 200 kilometers
This prototype named V.MO adopts a black and gold color scheme similar to tiger stripes to commemorate the completion of the Year of the Tiger in the Chinese Lunar Calendar This important project has the beautiful meaning of "becoming more powerful than a tiger". In appearance, compared to other bizarre foreign aircraft, its design is more ordinary, a bit like a Beetle with a pair of wings.
In terms of fuselage structure, the prototype is designed to have a luxurious X-wing configuration with a wingspan of 11.2 meters and a wingspan of 10.6 meters. It is equipped with eight rotors for vertical take-off and landing and two aircraft on both sides. The propeller that propels horizontally in the heading direction greatly satisfies the mixed balance of lift and thrust in its configuration.
V.MO is a product for travel between city clusters and can accommodate four passengers flying from one city to another. Moreover, it is fully autonomous driving and does not require manual operation. It is equivalent to changing direction to make room for the user. Now, no need to worry about the embarrassment of "threesome".
In terms of power, the prototype will be based on existing autonomous driving solutions and battery technology to create zero-emission mobility. Compared with traditional intercity transportation, it is expected to provide urban residents with a more time-saving, efficient, green and low-cost solution, and further expand the carrying capacity of urban air transportation services.
Since the manned aircraft is still in the prototype stage, no more details have been released. However, Volkswagen said it will further optimize the plan through several rounds of flight tests in the second half of this year, and the improved prototype will conduct higher-standard test flights at the end of the summer of 2023.
Eventually this purely electric, fully autonomous eVTOL manned aircraft will be able to carry passengers and luggage up to 200 kilometers.
A car builder went to build a manned aircraft, and he really figured it out. No wonder since V.MO was exposed, it aroused the curiosity of many netizens. Everyone said it was very futuristic. Some netizens posted below to ask: Can I get a C-certificate if I have a driver’s license?
However, among the pile of likes, many netizens also raised concerns about the mass production of this manned aircraft. After all, judging from existing experience, just because the prototype can be built, it does not mean that it will be safe. , all the way smooth, flying in the air in the way the team envisioned.
It is difficult to achieve mass production and there are many problems
It is also flying in the air. The plane is a long-distance transportation, and the place where it stops is a specially set up apron, which is sparsely populated. As the future daily transportation, eVTOL manned aircraft is used for point-to-point transportation in densely populated urban spaces.
Therefore, it faces many problems, such as safety, cost, regulations, etc. As for the safety issue, from a technical point of view, airplanes are so safe. As long as technology can keep up with the safety of small aircraft, I believe that such problems can still be solved before they are put into practical use.
But once technical issues are involved, research and development costs will rise. After all, this is an emerging gadget, and various technologies need to be studied. With these layers of additions, its cost will eventually rise. What this directly affects is its selling price, which is why some netizens joked on Volkswagen’s official blog: Not only can it carry people, it will definitely also kill people.
In addition, regardless of various technical and price factors, one practical factor that currently limits this type of eVTOL manned aircraft is regulations. Let’s say it belongs to the aviation system. Once an accident happens to this kind of transportation, it will still interfere with ground transportation, which is very troublesome.
So the ideal is beautiful, the reality is cruel, and there are still many problems to be solved before the public. But what it has to consider now is the product itself and how to do it better.
As for the future use of manned aircraft, Volkswagen said that in the initial stage of commercial application, V.MO will provide VIP air shuttle services to create a high-end experience and bring users faster, more efficient and more flexible travel. Um...this kind of service must cost a lot of money.
In fact, not only Volkswagen, with the rapid rise of the urban air transportation market, many companies are currently stepping into this "machine-making" field.
Car companies have entered the game one after another, and air travel has become popular
Throughout the country, well-known car companies such as Geely Automobile and Xpeng Motors have invested in "flying cars" , here there are eVTOL routes, as well as land and air amphibious vehicles. Among them, the sixth-generation flying car released by Xpeng is expected to be mass-produced in 2024, which is shockingly fast.
At this year’s CCTV Lantern Festival Gala, two actors rode a Xpeng Voyager X1 flying car among giant lanterns, which became a highlight at the time.
In addition to the companies mentioned above, there is also news that GAC is developing flying cars.
In the past two days, some people have seen on the recruitment website that GAC Research Institute is recruiting engineers in the aircraft field, with salaries ranging from 20,000 to 40,000 yuan.
There are various signs that the prospects for air travel are good. You might as well take a guess, who will be the next player to enter the field of flying cars?
I hope that with the entry of Volkswagen and other car manufacturers, this day will come soon. At that time, just like in a science fiction movie, when taking a taxi, you can directly set the destination: the first balcony of Unit X, Building 2, XX Community. There is no need for an elevator, just point-to-point transportation from room to room. Volkswagen’s first manned aircraft was unveiled, capable of carrying four passengers 2
On July 27, Volkswagen Group (China) released the first electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) manned aircraft prototype to explore and pioneering fully electric and sustainable personal mobility.
It is understood that in 2020, Volkswagen Group (China) launched the air mobility project, aiming to explore the next generation of travel solutions, including the urban air transportation market and the expansion of urban transportation into airspace. After in-depth research, concept building and development, the project team has now completed the first demonstrator - V.MO. To commemorate the completion of this milestone during the Chinese Year of the Tiger, the prototype's exterior design adopts a unique black and gold color scheme, which means "like a tiger with added wings".
Core summary:
1. Volkswagen Group (China) released the first electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) manned aircraft prototype - V .MO.
2. Urban air transportation will become an important market segment in the field of mobility in the future. The Group has launched an air mobility project in China. In the first phase, it targets Chinese high-net-worth customers who pursue innovative technological experiences and creates A new high-end travel concept.
3. The final fully electric, fully autonomous eVTOL manned aircraft can carry four passengers and luggage for a flight of up to 200 kilometers.
4. Dr. Feng Sihan, CEO of Volkswagen Group (China), said: “We have a long-term goal of promoting the industrialization of this field and are committed to ‘adding more power to a tiger’ in this emerging and rapidly developing market. It opens up new opportunities.”
It is reported that the prototype is based on existing autonomous driving solutions and battery technology to create zero-emission mobility. The prototype is designed as a luxurious X-wing configuration with a wingspan of 11.2 meters and a wingspan of 10.6 meters. It has eight rotors for vertical takeoff and landing and two propellers for horizontal propulsion. The Volkswagen Group will further optimize the plan through several rounds of flight tests in the second half of this year, and the improved prototype will conduct higher-standard test flights at the end of the summer of 2023.
This purely electric, fully autonomous eVTOL manned aircraft will eventually be able to carry four passengers and luggage for up to 200 kilometers.
Dr. Feng Sihan, CEO of Volkswagen Group (China), said: "We are committed to creating high-end mobility products through this pioneering project to meet the needs of Chinese customers for innovative technologies and future air mobility services. Further carrying forward Volkswagen's excellent tradition in precision engineering, design and innovation, our young team of Chinese experts started from scratch and continued to contribute to this groundbreaking project by using new design concepts, materials and setting new safety standards. Injecting innovative vitality.
The debut of the V.MO demonstrator is the first important milestone in our exploration of urban air transportation, and once again demonstrates the group's development mission of "in China, for China" to promote this field. The long-term goal is to achieve industrialization and is committed to opening up new opportunities in this emerging and rapidly developing market. ”
At present, Volkswagen. China is rapidly expanding its local R&D and software capabilities, forming a team of young local Chinese experts to advance the progress of air mobility projects. They have interdisciplinary and innovative thinking in new fields, and are cooperating with local Chinese companies such as Hunan Sunward Technology Partners work closely together. Hunan Sunward Technology is a subsidiary company of Sunward Intelligent Equipment Group located in Hunan Province. It is engaged in the development, sales and service of aviation products and is a market leader in the field of light sport aircraft.
Volkswagen China stated that the urban air transportation market is emerging rapidly, and its core is the use of air space, especially at low altitudes in big cities and between cities to achieve short-distance and medium-distance transportation. In China, development in this field will alleviate traffic congestion problems in large cities and play an important role in future urban and intercity transportation.
In the initial stage of commercial application, V.MO will target Chinese high-net-worth customers who pursue innovative technological experiences and create high-end travel products, such as VIP air shuttle services. Compared with current traditional ground transportation methods, eVTOL manned aircraft will achieve faster, more efficient and more flexible travel. As the air mobility project develops, the group will work with relevant Chinese authorities to obtain certification. Volkswagen’s first manned aircraft was unveiled, capable of carrying four passengers 3
In the field of flying cars, China has welcomed a new car company player.
On July 25, it was reported that GAC Group was developing flying cars. On the recruitment website, GAC Research Institute was recruiting engineers in the field of aircraft. On July 27, Volkswagen Group (China) released its first electric vertical take-off and landing manned aircraft prototype - V.MO, moving towards the future of air mobility.
It is no accident that the two major car companies have successively entered the flying car market.
In the Chinese market, Geely and Xiaopeng have already made plans. The "International Comprehensive Three-dimensional Transportation Network Planning Outline" released in 2021 clearly proposed the development of low-altitude economy for the first time. As part of the future travel market, flying cars are generally optimistic in the industry.
GAC and Volkswagen, blindly follow the trend or invest in the long term?
According to Zhang Fan, deputy director of the GAC Research Institute, GAC will make an extensive layout in future travel technology and will conduct research on vehicles for diverse travel scenarios. As a current trend in the automobile industry, flying cars have a certain technical threshold, and GAC will certainly not ignore it.
Among the many aircraft engineer positions being recruited, the salary range given by GAC Research Institute is between RMB 20,000 and RMB 40,000. The remuneration is quite generous, and the recruitment scope also covers test flight testing. , equipment procurement, standardization system construction, autonomous driving, structural design and other aspects of talent, it can be seen that GAC's research and development of flying cars is going to be serious, rather than just following the trend.
Data shows that in 2021, GAC Group achieved vehicle sales of 2.1444 million vehicles, a year-on-year increase of 4.92%, and net profit of 7.335 billion yuan, an increase of 22.95%. With the performance of most traditional car companies declining, GAC's growth is particularly eye-catching. Currently, GAC's transformation is mainly focused on electrification. Aion and Trumpchi focus on the EV and hybrid markets respectively and have achieved good results.
Last year, GAC’s R&D investment reached 5.2 billion yuan, and 2,580 new patent applications were filed. In terms of company positioning, GAC and Xpeng Motors, both based in Guangzhou, have relatively consistent directions, targeting technology-based companies.
Volkswagen China’s layout of flying cars is two years ahead of GAC. In 2020, Volkswagen Group (China) launched the vertical mobility project to develop solutions for urban air transportation and the expansion of urban transportation into airspace.
The V.MO manned aircraft launched this time uses automatic driving mode and pure electric power. It can carry 4 passengers and has a flight distance of up to 200 kilometers. It is perfect for short-distance travel scenarios. After further optimization and improvement, this aircraft is expected to conduct test flights in late summer of 2023.
Volkswagen is currently facing the same transformation period as GAC. In addition to the goal of electrifying cars and surpassing Tesla, Volkswagen also needs to develop autonomous driving, software development, power batteries, Expanding various areas such as charging networks will be an extremely difficult but necessary path for a global automotive giant.
In the field of flying cars, Volkswagen has taken the lead. After all, most car companies have no layout, which means that Volkswagen has the initiative in the future travel market.
Can Geely and Xiaopeng survive to the end with one step ahead?
Geely’s flying car business has been laid out since 2017, from the acquisition of the American flying car company Terrafugia to the establishment of a joint venture company Volocopter with the air travel company Volocopter in September 2021. , Geely has maintained a sufficiently low profile in the field of flying cars.
According to reports, Taili TF-1 flying car only takes 1 minute to switch between car and flight modes, with a cruising range of up to 640 kilometers and a top speed of 160km/h. Unfortunately, this flying car does not have vertical take-off and landing functions and needs a 30-meter runway to get into the sky. It is said that the TF-2 under development will solve problems such as autonomous driving and vertical take-off and landing.
Xpeng Motors has been exploring the field of flying cars for nine years, thanks to its ecological enterprise Xpeng Huitian. As early as 2013, Xiaopeng Huitian had begun to develop aircraft. Last year, it received more than US$500 million in Series A financing from well-known investment institutions such as IDG Capital, Sequoia China, and Hillhouse Ventures. Peng Huitian's reputation suddenly soared.
What really made Xpeng’s flying cars famous was the sixth-generation flying car released by Xpeng at last year’s “1024 Technology Day”. Not only can it freely switch between flight and land travel, the appearance design is more in line with the public's imagination of flying cars, rather than looking like an aircraft, which looks very sci-fi.
For such a sci-fi product, He Xiaopeng claimed at the press conference that he would strive for mass production in 2024 and the price would not exceed 1 million yuan, which immediately aroused heated discussions in the industry.
Xpeng applies the intelligent assisted driving, intelligent voice and other functions of smart cars to flying cars, and reduces the difficulty of driving flying cars to the level of driving. It can be said that in It has greatly lowered the threshold for using flying cars.
The Traveler X2 aircraft, which is often used for testing, can carry the weight of 2 people, has a maximum flight speed of 130km/h, can fly at low altitudes below 1,000 meters for 35 minutes, and has autonomous flight path planning. , ground monitoring, no blind spot environment perception, self-service return and landing, 100-kilometer two-way real-time communication and other functions, it became a star technology product after its debut in Europe.