| **The Future of Mobility: China’s Electric and Autonomous Revolution** |
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| In the midst of China’s automotive exhibition, XPENG’s humanoid robot IRON stole the spotlight by debating the merits of the company’s self-developed flying car with its creator, CEO He Xiaopeng. The conversation revolved around how this fusion of robotics and aerial mobility signals a tectonic shift in the industry. In this context, the auto industry is no longer confined to four wheels, as automakers break the mold and re-imagine mobility. |
**Beyond Wheels: The Rise of Smart Mobility in China**
Behind this technological spectacle is an impressive industry performance. According to official data, China’s auto production and sales both saw year-on-year growth exceeding 10 percent in the first quarter, and its low-altitude economy is rapidly approaching the 1-trillion-yuan (about 138.8 billion U.S. dollars) milestone, growing at a compound annual rate of nearly 30 percent.
- • The “intelligent automotive sector is evolving into an aggregated intelligent industry,” said Zhang Yongwei, vice chairman and secretary-general of NEV industry think tank China EV 100.
- • “Smart vehicles stay on roads, flying cars ascend to low-altitude skies, and humanoid robots embody AI-driven mobility.”
**Humanoid Robotics and Flying Cars: The New Frontiers of Mobility**
Several companies showcased cutting-edge products that illustrate this shift towards embodied AI and smart mobility. Chery’s “three-body” composite-wing flying car attracted Southeast Asian buyers seeking island-hopping solutions, while GAC Group unveiled its third-generation GoMate robot capable of navigating factory floors.
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Chery featured its three-body composite-wing flying car with a flight range of over 200 kilometers, capable of reducing operational complexity. The vehicle will make its maiden flight this year.
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GAC Group introduced its third-generation GoMate robot, which now serves as a digital shopping assistant at Chery’s dealerships in Malaysia and Russia.
**The Logical Growth of China’s Flying Car Sector**
Smart cars, flying vehicles, and humanoid robots share common technical foundation and supply chains. Analysts say that eVTOLs can share up to 80 percent of their supply chain with electric vehicles, leveraging China’s mature EV supply chain for cost efficiency.
**Scale, Synergy, and Low-Altitude Growth**
The inexorable logic of scale and synergy also fuels the growth of the flying car sector. Chinese automakers can slash costs for niche products due to their 30 million vehicle production capacity. For example, GAC’s GoMate robots can handle full vehicle production tasks in its auto plants, creating a self-contained business ecosystem within the automaker.
“We see a bright future for the flying car sector, driven by low-altitude growth and scaling up automation and robotics,” said Zhao Deli, founder of XPENG’s flying car affiliate, Huitian.
After 40 years of evolution, the Shanghai auto show has cemented its position as the world’s premier automotive exhibition in both scale and prestige. Global players are anchoring themselves in China’s mobility metamorphosis, with China emerging as the world’s foremost proving ground for electric and intelligent vehicle transformation.
- • “China has emerged as the world’s foremost proving ground for electric and intelligent vehicle transformation over the past 10 years,” said Guan Mingyu, a senior partner at McKinsey & Company Greater China.
- • China’s eVTOL industry is approaching the threshold of mass production and scaled deployment, and its humanoid robotics are just beginning to show growth potential.
**Cross-Industry Synergy and Future Growth**
Policy tailwinds, infrastructure rollouts, and maturing supply chains are fueling growth, especially in drone logistics, air taxis, and emergency services. Furthermore, rising demand in China’s low-altitude tourism sector holds strong growth potential.
“More supportive policies will energize the market, channeling greater resources into infrastructure development, investment, and consumer engagement,” said Zhao Deli.