KleinVision Sells the Rights to Its Flying Car Tech to China

China’s Hebei Jianxin Flying Car Technology has made a deal with Slovakia-based KleinVision for the manufacturing and use of its flying car tech, the AirCar.

• In 2021, AirCar completed a 35-minute flight between two Slovakian airports.
• It did need a traditional runway to take off and then land.

China’s Hebei Jianxin Flying Car Technology pens a deal with Slovakia-based KleinVision for the manufacturing and use of its flying car, the AirCar.

The flying car was developed and successfully tested in Europe. It managed to transition from car to aircraft in just over two minutes. Back in 2021, it completed a 35-minute flight between two Slovakian airports.

The Chinese firm has secured exclusive rights to manufacture and utilize AirCar aircraft within a specific geographic region. The firm has already established an airport and flight school, so the company’s interest in the flying car tech makes sense. A testimony to the advanced mobility solutions in China.

Some other milestones for the Asian country in flying transport solutions include Autoflight’s successful test flight of a passenger-carrying drone, completing a journey between Shenzhen and Zhuhai in just 20 minutes.

There are some fundamental differences between the two achievements. Notably, vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) passenger aircraft, like Autoflight’s drones, do not need a traditional runway to operate. The AirCar does.

Despite this major development, there are still some kinks that the Chinese company needs to iron out, especially when it comes to the infrastructure, regulation, and public acceptance of this emerging technology.

Aviation consultant Steve Wright told the BBC that “everyone [is] scrambling to come up with a whole new set of questions that need to be asked”. He also notes that it could be China’s chance to get ahead of the West, “as there is a bit of a temptation to try and squeeze these new machines into the old categories.”

This move could further exasperate the rivalry between China and the U.S., as it gives the Asian country a great push to achieve its Urban Air Mobility (UAM) ambitions.

Hypothetically speaking, if China does manage to manufacture and commercialize the AirCar, it could position itself as a leader in the nascent flying car market.

This hypothetical success could also have implications for China’s military. Something that the U.S. has been trying to avoid for years through sanctions. The original design is for civilian use but there’s nothing to prevent engineers from tailoring it to suit military applications.

But these outcomes remain highly dependent on Hebei Jianxin Flying Car Technology Company’s success.

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