China unveils first distributed electric-driven flying car

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On the first day of 2025, the research team of China's Southeast University debuted the country's first distributed electric-drive flying car, "Southeast University · Kunpeng No.1", according to a post on the university's WeChat account. This innovation was developed by the university's Department of Automotive Engineering in the School of Mechanical Engineering and the Jiangsu Research Center for Intelligent Electric Transport Equipment.

The "Southeast University · Kunpeng No.1" is China's first flying car to feature all-wheel steering, all-wheel electric drive layouts, and a four-axis, eight-rotor design. It is also the first integrated land-air vehicle in Jiangsu province.

Unlike conventional electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, which is designed exclusively for aerial mobility, "Southeast University · Kunpeng No.1" combines rapid ground mobility with agile airborne capabilities.

This innovation adopts an automobile-focused approach rather than a drone-based design, enabling it to switch between ground driving and aerial flight.

According to Professor Yin Guodong, project leader and faculty member at Southeast University's School of Mechanical Engineering, the "Southeast University · Kunpeng No.1" incorporates multiple technologies including integrated land-air body topology optimization, full-range redundancy mechanisms for the power system, a multi-modal interactive digital cockpit, cross-domain multidimensional data fusion, a distributed electric-drive system for both ground and air, and double Ackermann coordinated steering system.

The "Southeast University · Kunpeng No.1" measures 2.1m in length, 1.2m in width, and 1.5m in height, with a maximum takeoff weight of 500 kilograms. It boasts a flight endurance of at least 20 minutes and a maximum flight altitude of 300 meters. The flying car is powered by a four-wheel hub distributed electric-drive system, featuring front and rear double Ackermann steering system and electrohydraulic composite braking, which can deliver a top ground speed of 60 km/h.

Currently, powering the "Southeast University · Kunpeng No.1" is a high-performance battery pack. In addition, the team has also developed an extended-range electric propulsion system, which boasts high power output, long endurance, and great reliability, compared with the current battery-driven system. This system, which is expected to prolong flight duration to over two hours, will be applied to the next generation of land-air integrated flying cars.