Volkswagen Group China unveiled its first electrical Vertical Take-Off and Touchdown (eVTOL) passenger drone prototype, as a part of its technique to discover and break new floor in totally electrical and sustainable particular person mobility ideas.
In 2020, Volkswagen Group China launched a Vertical Mobility undertaking to discover the subsequent technology of mobility options, together with the city air mobility market and the extension of city visitors into airspace. After intensive analysis, conceptual work, and improvement, the undertaking staff has now developed its first validation mannequin:the V.MO.
This preliminary prototype has additionally been nicknamed the Flying Tiger as a consequence of its distinctive black and gold livery, which was painted to commemorate its launch within the 12 months of the Tiger.
The prototype idea is predicated on current autonomous driving options and battery know-how for emission-free mobility. With a luxurious X-wing configuration of 11.2m in size and a span width of 10.6m, the mannequin options eight rotors for vertical raise and two propellers for horizontal flight.
The Group will conduct a number of flight assessments later this 12 months to optimize the idea and an improved prototype will endure additional superior take a look at flights by late summer time 2023. In its ultimate future iteration, the totally electrical and automatic eVTOL might finally carry 4 passengers plus baggage over a distance of as much as 200 km.
Via this pilot undertaking, we’re bringing Volkswagen’s lengthy custom of precision engineering, design, and innovation to the subsequent stage, by growing a premium product that may serve the vertical mobility wants of our future tech savvy Chinese language clients. It is a pioneering undertaking which our younger staff of Chinese language specialists began from scratch—they’re working with new design ideas and supplies whereas growing new security requirements, disrupting and innovating each step of the best way.
The launch of this beautiful validation mannequin—the V.MO—is the primary of many outstanding milestones on our thrilling journey in the direction of city air journey, and an ideal instance of our ‘From China, For China’ mission. Our long-term goal is to industrialize this idea and, like a ‘Flying Tiger’, break new floor on this rising and fast-evolving new mobility market.
—Dr. Stephan Wöllenstein, CEO of Volkswagen Group China
Volkswagen Group China is quickly increasing native R&D and software program experience to reply sooner to what clients need and speed up the tempo of innovation considerably. The Vertical Mobility undertaking requires interdisciplinary and revolutionary considering in a brand new area, and the Group shaped a staff of younger, native specialists to drive it ahead. They’ve been supported by Chinese language companions together with Hunan Sunward Know-how, a subsidiary of Hunan-based manufacturing group Sunward. The corporate makes a speciality of aviation product improvement, gross sales and companies and is a market chief within the gentle sport plane business.
City air mobility is a fast-emerging market which goals to make the most of air area for short- and medium-distance connections, particularly above and between massive cities. In China, it’s set to play a big function in the way forward for city and intercity transportation in its congested megacities.
Within the first section of its industrial use, V.MO is prone to be pitched as a premium product for high-net price tech savvy Chinese language clients, for instance for VIP air shuttle companies. eVTOL air autos will be capable to transport passengers extra shortly and effectively than present standard technique of terrestrial transport and with better flexibility. Because the Vertical Mobility undertaking develops, Volkswagen Group China will work with the related Chinese language authorities to attain certification.
