Slovak Technology of Flying Cars Sold to a Chinese Company

The Slovak technology behind AirCar, a flying car originally developed and successfully tested in Europe, has been purchased by a Chinese company.

Equipped with a BMW gasoline engine, the Slovak AirCar flew for 35 minutes between two airports in 2021, using runways for takeoff and landing, and it took just over two minutes to transform from a car into an aircraft. According to the BBC, vehicles made based on its design will now be used within a ‘specific geographical region’ of China.

Hebei Jianxin Flying Car Technology Company, based in Cangzhou, has acquired exclusive rights for the production and use of AirCar aircraft. The company has built its own airport and flight school following a previous acquisition from another Slovak aircraft manufacturer, said Anton Zajac, co-founder of KleinVision, the company that created AirCar.

After leading the development of the electric vehicle revolution, China is now actively developing flying transport solutions.

Last month, a company called Autoflight conducted a test flight of a passenger transport drone between the cities of Shenzhen and Zhuhai. The journey, which would otherwise take three hours by car, was completed in just 20 minutes, according to the BBC, and there were no passengers in the aircraft.

It is worth noting that last year, the Chinese company eHang received a safety certificate from Chinese officials for developing an electric flying taxi. This is a trend that could evidently take off globally, considering that the British government has also stated that flying taxis could become a regular occurrence in the sky by 2028. In Croatia, efforts are still underway to bring robotaxis developed by Rimac to life.

The West Slows Things Down

However, unlike these passenger drones, AirCar does not take off and land vertically and requires a runway. KleinVision declined to disclose how much they sold the technology for. The Slovak traffic authority approved AirCar for flight back in 2022, and the car was also presented by one of the world’s largest YouTubers, Mr. Beast, earlier this year.

There are still significant obstacles for this form of transport in terms of infrastructure, regulations, and public acceptance of the technology.

– This brave new world of personal transport acts as an excellent stabilizer – said aviation consultant Steve Wright to the BBC.

Global attempts to regulate the sector have left ‘everything trying to make sense of a whole range of new questions that need to be asked’.

– In that regard, the history of the West can sometimes slow things down, as there is little temptation to try to fit these new machines into old categories. China might see this as an opportunity for advancement – added Wright.

Similar concerns once related to electric cars – in which China has become a leader in the global market. The sale of the Slovak AirCar could raise questions about whether China will be ready to do the same with flying cars.

Wright stated that prototypes like AirCar were ‘really fun’, but that the reality will likely end up being more ordinary ‘with lines and baggage checks and all that’.