FAW Accelerates Layout in Flying Car Sector to Boost Low-Altitude Economy

The outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan clearly proposes fostering emerging pillar industries and accelerating the development of strategic emerging industrial clusters such as the low-altitude economy. As a core track for future transportation transformation and technological competition, electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles, also known as "flying cars", have attracted widespread attention from major enterprises, with China FAW taking swift action to expand its layout in this field.

Adhering to the transformation direction of electrification, intelligence and connectivity, China FAW has fully advanced its foray into the new flying car track. By establishing FAW Qiyi (Shenzhen) Technology Co., Ltd. as a professional implementation entity, the company has achieved a full-chain breakthrough from company registration and team building to core product test flights and capital landing in less than a year, completing the crucial leap from zero to one in its flying car business. Xinhua News reported that FAW Qiyi, founded in July 2025 and focused on eVTOL R&D, testing, manufacturing and operation, has recently completed a 400 million yuan angel round of financing to support product R&D and airworthiness certification.

China FAW persists in taking independent innovation as the core and industry-university-research collaboration as the support, rapidly achieving breakthroughs in key core technologies of flying cars and their achievement transformation. In December 2025, the Hongqi "Tiannian 1" prototype completed its first protected test flight. CCTV.com noted that by the end of March 2026, the prototype had obtained a special research flight permit from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, launching regular scientific research flight tests and marking that China FAW has acquired complete integrated aircraft integration and flight verification capabilities.

During the 2026 Beijing Auto Show, the concept cabin of the Hongqi "Tiannian 1" was officially unveiled to the public, with the development of airworthy models launched simultaneously. The company plans to submit airworthiness certification materials by the end of this year, accelerating the transition of products from technological verification to commercial finalization. Guangming Net reported that the Hongqi "Tiannian 1" has a maximum speed of 200 kilometers per hour and a four-seat design, boasting advantages such as lower noise, cleaner energy and smoother operation compared with ordinary helicopters.

Currently, China FAW’s flying car business is advancing steadily, with the Hongqi "Tiannian 1" progressing smoothly in scientific research flights and airworthiness certification, and relevant capital and technological support in place. The company will adhere to its mission as a national team during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, aiming to lead in technology, products and ecology. It will fully promote the high-quality development of the flying car industry, contribute more to the upgrading of the low-altitude economy and the construction of a modern comprehensive three-dimensional transportation system, and fulfill its responsibilities as a central enterprise in the new era of three-dimensional travel.