China's Changan Automobile recently set a new milestone in its efforts to lead innovation and development in emerging industries by signing a partnership agreement with EHang Holdings to research and develop flying-car related products. 

 

These are expected to include innovative flying cars and electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, which are a type of electric vehicle which can take off and land vertically without a runway.

 

Changan, together with EHang, a leading global Urban Air Mobility (UAM) technology platform company, will leverage their respective strengths to develop innovative transportation solutions that can help open new economic development opportunities. 

 

For example, in China, it’s forecast that the low-altitude economy — which refers to activities such as drone delivery which occur in the airspace below 1,000 m — will be valued at a trillion dollars by 2030.

 

In the next five years, Changan will invest over $2.91 billion to expedite the development of flying cars, said Changan Automobile Chairman Zhu Huarong. Over the next decade, the company plans to invest more than $13.7 billion to explore comprehensive transportation solutions across land, sea, air and in humanoid robots, Zhu said.

 

This initiative aligns with Changan’s long-term strategy to continually pursue breakthroughs in intelligent digital technologies and transform into an “intelligent low-carbon mobility technology company.”

 

The signing ceremony for Changan Automobile’s collaboration with EHang was part of Changan’s celebrations marking the inauguration of its Global Science and Art Center, an integral part of the company’s Global R&D Center in Chongqing. 

 

Changan’s Global Science and Art Center will focus on research in the science, technology, and design fields. Over the next 10 years, the company will invest over $4.11 billion to establish a team of over 3,000 experts and talents there to explore forward-looking fields such as artificial intelligence, and information technology, as well as innovations in customer experience and design.

 

This is part of Changan Automobile’s global R&D network which currently includes 16 technology research and product development centres and 17 technology companies, and a technical R&D team of more than 18,000 people from 31 countries and regions around the world.   - TradeArabia News Service