The exciting future of flying cars seemed to be taking off in China, but a recent accident showed that this path is still far from turbulence-free. During a rehearsal for the Chang Chun air show, two electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles, Xpeng Aeroht's famous eVTOLs, collided in mid-flight, forming a fireball that frightened the audience and left one pilot injured.

The subsidiary of electric car giant Xpeng explained that the collision occurred due to “insufficient flight distance.” While one of the aircraft managed to land safely, the other caught fire upon touching the ground. Videos posted on Chinese social media show thick smoke rising as emergency crews rushed to contain the flames.

Despite the dramatic scene, official reports confirmed that the injured person suffered only minor injuries and is out of danger, but the incident raises concerns. After all, each unit of these futuristic vehicles costs the equivalent of $150,000 and flies at altitudes between 300 and 500 meters. They promise autonomy for five or six flights on a single charge, as well as a 270-degree panoramic cabin that looks like something out of a science fiction movie.

Xpeng has already accumulated more than 4,000 orders and has been testing its models not only in China, but also in the United Arab Emirates with plans to start further production in 2026. This accident occurs precisely at the time when the Chinese government is promoting its so-called low-altitude economy, a strategic sector that encompasses drones, flying taxis and air services below 3,000 m. Seen as one of the engines of the country's technological growth.

With more than 2,000 drone manufacturers and 20,000 companies involved, China is betting that this market will be one of the pillars of urban mobility of the future, but the risks are clear, colliding in a controlled trial is one thing, imagining hundreds of these vehicles flying over densely populated cities is another entirely.