Volkswagen Group China has launched a fully working prototype of their first electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft designed to serve the future travel needs of Chinese customers.

Designed in collaboration with UK design consultancy Tangerine and engineered in collaboration with Chinese general aviation manufacturer Sunward, the eVTOL vehicle, officially called VMO but dubbed the ‘Flying Tiger’ for its unique black and gold colourway, is part of the company’s vision to explore next-generation mobility solutions represented by urban air mobility.

Project and product manager Zhou Jin who is part of the Air Mobility Project Team at Volkswagen China observes that there is great potential for eVTOLs to become an important segment for the Volkswagen Group.

“Air mobility will likely become an important part of China's metropolitan and intercity transportation in the future. Compared with existing ground vehicles, eVTOL aircraft can carry passengers faster, more efficiently, and more flexibly for short- and medium-distance travel,” Jin explained.

Elaborating on Volkswagen’s vision to create a private eVTOL to serve the growing urban elite and facilitate their business and leisure travel between major cities, Jin said that the style, specification and design of eVTOL were largely derived from their in-depth research, with over 100 high net worth individuals across the country participating in the study.

Keeping this in mind, the Flying Tiger will be positioned as a high-end product for this user segment in the first stage of commercialisation, she added. The VMO prototype is currently testing flight.

According to Jin, the air mobility project leverages Volkswagen's traditional strengths in precision engineering, design and innovation.

“Advanced batteries developed exclusively for Volkswagen by CATL will ensure a high level of safety and reliability. The synergy between technical concepts, advanced batteries, aerodynamic design and lightweight materials allows our eVTOLs to travel up to 200km with a full battery charge and up to 60 minutes of flight time, making them ideal for urban commuting or for leisure. It can also be applied to intercity transportation and air shuttle services,” she explained.

The VMO prototype has a luxurious X-wing configuration with a wing length of 11.2 metres and a wingspan of 10.6 metres.

The UK-based Tangerine, which is well known for its commercial aircraft design, has been working very closely with the Volkswagen design team and Sunward to make sure the fuselage design is aligned with the manufacturing processes and wind tunnel testing.

“The eVTOL has eight fixed upward propellers and two rear forward propulsion propellers. The cabin is located under the wings with an aerodynamic shape ensuring passengers are far away from the propellers. It’s equipped with an aerodynamic skate that lifts the vehicle from the ground and supports passenger access to the cabin from the ground,” Tangerine said in a statement.

“The interior luxury cabin will be released next spring, and its world-class experience will demonstrate our forward-looking understanding and professional design standards for Chinese consumers' taste. Unlike the two-seat eVTOLs that are currently available, this model has four seats while still providing a spacious ride,” Jin added.

Flight enthusiasts will also have something to look forward to, with plans including providing a manual flight mode that supports a little manual operation.

“The concept of our prototype is based on an autopilot solution, the starting point is that everyone can operate the aircraft safely without a pilot's license, and of course, we also offer a manual flight mode. We are also developing environmentally friendly electric propulsion systems, high-performance batteries with extremely short charging times, minimal space requirements for take-off and landing, and guidance and control systems that rely on high-speed computing and big data,” Jin said.

“It’s a privilege to be part of VW China’s first foray into vertical mobility,” says Tangerine director Weiwei He. “It’s truly exciting that this project pushes beyond flashy concept designs to focus on the near delivery of working prototypes that are being tested in the air. The exterior is just a taster of what’s to come and we look forward to showcasing the interior design and total customer experience in the near future.”

Commenting on the development process of Volkswagen’s first flying car, Jin said it took only eight months from the start of the eVTOL configuration to the construction of the first full-scale prototype.

“The debut of VMO is the first major milestone in our exploration of urban air mobility. We will further optimise the plan through several rounds of flight tests, and the improved prototype will be tested to a higher standard in late summer 2023,” Jin concluded.

Image credit: Volkswagen Group China and Tangerine

Branko Miletic

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