XPeng flying car coming to Australia 

A Gold Coast resident is one of the more than 11,000 global customers to have ordered an XPeng flying car.

XPeng's ambitions in low-altitude aviation have taken another step towards reality, with the company confirming an Australian customer has already committed to buying one of its highly anticipated flying cars. 

Speaking during a media briefing, XPeng executives revealed interest in the company's dual-mode aircraft has accelerated rapidly as it prepares for commercial production. 

"We are already opening orders globally for the flying cars, and actually we have collected 11,000 orders worldwide," XPeng Australia’s senior marketing and comms executive, Terry Zhang said. 

When asked whether any of those orders were destined for Australia, the response was unequivocal. 

"There is someone living in Australia buying one already." 

While the company declined to identify the customer, executives indicated the buyer is based on the Gold Coast. 

Bringing the vehicle to Australia, however, will not be as straightforward as taking delivery of a conventional passenger car. 

"He's an Australian. He lives in Australia, but he will purchase overseas," Zhang said. 

"And I think he's still finding ways to bring it to here and get it going." 

The challenges extend well beyond importing the vehicle itself. 

Before privately owned electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft can operate locally, Australia will require an appropriate regulatory framework governing certification, airworthiness and low-altitude airspace management. 

XPeng confirmed to carsales it plans to engage with Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) as it works through the certification requirements needed for future local operation. 

Unlike several rival urban air mobility projects focused on commercial air taxi services, XPeng is positioning its flying vehicle as a privately owned product for individual customers, provided they meet the relevant licensing and regulatory requirements. 

The announcement also highlights the rapidly evolving race to commercialise flying vehicles. 

Companies including Hyundai subsidiary Supernal, Joby Aviation and EHang are all developing eVTOL aircraft, with several already conducting advanced flight testing internationally. 

While there is still no confirmed timeline for when XPeng's flying car could legally operate in Australia, confirmation that an Australian customer has already placed an order marks a significant milestone for the emerging technology. 

Any local deliveries will ultimately depend on regulatory approval, import arrangements and CASA certification, but Australia's first privately owned XPeng flying car now appears to be a matter of when, rather than if. 

While the vehicles capture headlines, the brand is currently prioritising its local operations with a major relaunch in Australian aimed at restoring buyer confidence. 

Following a split with its former distributor, TrueEV – which triggered a Federal Court battle set for October – XPeng Australia is actively stepping in to pay out outstanding $5000 cashback promises to affected owners on a case-by-case, goodwill basis. 

Backed by a growing network of 23 local dealerships, the factory-backed operation says it wants to move past the legal friction to focus entirely on seamless customer support and an expanding product pipeline, including the upcoming L03 sedan and X9 flagship people-mover. 

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