New Company Gove Sets Effort On Flying Cars Mobility Reality

 

Govy AirJet concept from GAC Group seeks to make flying cars a reality by 2027. Image Credit: GAC Group (2025)

New Company Gove Sets Effort On Flying Cars Mobility Reality

Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., Ltd. (GAC Group), a Chinese state-owned automobile manufacturer and the fifth largest automobile manufacturer in China, announces the launch of a new electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) brand called Gove, focused on investing in sustainable air transportation.

Flying cars may be even closer than we expect, the company will focus on the design and production of flying cars, with the new AirJet currently being its flagship model. This electrically powered air taxi is said to be able to fly for up to 200 kilometers (124 miles), making it suitable for long journeys.

The AirCar, GAC Group's first ongoing development, is designed for zero-emission trips up to 20 km (12.4 miles). Image Credit: GAC Group (2024)

BACKGROUND:

In 2023, GAC unveiled a groundbreaking EV/eVTOL combo vehicle called “Gove,” a name derived from the words “GAC, On the Go, Vertical, and EV.” The Gove made its debut during GAC’s Tech Day Event in June 2023, where it was showcased to an eager audience. The company expressed its vision for the Gove to become a cornerstone of its future mobility lineup.

Since then, updates have been sparse, although we do know that GAC has rebranded the Gove as “AirCar.”

This name change is unsurprising, given the challenges faced by companies developing standalone eVTOLs. Achieving the necessary certifications and building infrastructure for commercial air taxi services is already a significant hurdle. Combining a road-capable EV with an eVTOL component adds even more complexity to the equation.

Among its peers, Chinese automaker XPeng seems closest to overcoming these challenges. Through its eVTOL venture AeroHT, XPeng is developing the “Land Aircraft Carrier,” an EV/eVTOL hybrid projected to enter scaled production by 2026.

XPENG AEROHT’s ‘modular flying car’ (carrier transport with eVTOL aircraft) will enter mass production, pre-orders begin in Q4. The aircraft module (as seen at CES2025) features a small two-person cockpit made from lightweight carbon fiber and has a six-rotor design with foldable propellers and arms. It can be driven manually or autonomously, and more than 200 units are currently being tested.Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2025)

Meanwhile, GAC appears to still be refining the AirCar. In addition, the company is expanding its portfolio with a second model, the AirJet, which debuted under its newly established eVTOL-focused business arm, Gove.

The AirJet comprises over 90% carbon fiber, weighing just one-third of a car body of the same size while being efficient and suitable for longer flights. The vertical lift-offs and transitional rotors of eVTOLs allow for efficient and clean cruising through the air, per Interesting Engineering.

Being made of composite materials also makes it easy to produce on a large scale. It can reach a speed of up to 155 mph and is designed for users' diverse travel needs, from ground to low altitude.

Current projections for the eVTOL industry show estimates of growth reaching over $23.4 billion by the year 2030 per Markets and Markets. Generally touted by its enthusiasts as a sustainable industry and friendly for the environment, models like the AirJet focus on advancing efficiency and lessening environmental concerns. 

GAC plans to secure certification for its flying cars, set up production lines, and begin pre-orders for the AirJet and AirCar sometime in 2025. The company also plans to demonstrate operations for its future products in Greater Bay Area cities by 2027.

(ht: TheCoolDown & electrek)

... notes from The EDJE

TAGS: CES, China, Electric Vehicles, Xpeng AeroHT, GAC Group, AirCar, AirJet Gove, eVTOL, The EDJE

FIA's Formula E 2015-2016 Glycerine Racing Season Begins In Earnest

Beijing National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest (鸟巢; niǎocháo), is a stadium in Beijing, China. The stadium was designed for use throughout the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics and will be used again in the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics. It serves as a backdrop to the first race of the 2015-2016 FIA Formula E racing season - Beijing ePrix. Image Credit: FIA Formula E

 FIA's Formula E 2015-2016 Glycerine Racing Season Begins In Earnest

The sanctioning body that sponsors Formula 1 has put together the elements of an electronic-powered, self-contained, open-wheel, 11 venue world-wide high-speed automobile racing series known as Formula E.

Last year (2014-2015 season) was a first year of the multi-year agenda to make viable motorsports racing using 100% electric power generated solely at the event site itself. Glycerine, a substance that looks and tastes like a clear Karo syrup, is a carbon-neutral non-toxic replacement for diesel used to power special diesel electric-power generators which produce enough clean-energy to meet the needs of the race cars and the paddocks that support them. The aim is to show what is possible, improve technologies through competition, and allow all involved to have fun in places rarely exposed to high-speed motorsports, city streets-course racing.

FIA Formula E season event venues in the following cities. Click link HERE to access the additional information called for in info-graphic. Image Credit: FIA Formula E

The FIA Formula E season will race in venues around the world in the following cities:

1    Beijing ePrix     China    Beijing Olympic Green Circuit    24 October 2015

2    Putrajaya ePrix     Malaysia    Putrajaya Street Circuit    7 November 2015

3    Punta del Este ePrix     Uruguay    Punta del Este Street Circuit    19 December 2015

4    Buenos Aires ePrix     Argentina    Puerto Madero Street Circuit    6 February 2016

5    Mexico City ePrix    Mexico    Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez    12 March 2016

6    Long Beach ePrix     United States    Long Beach Street Circuit    2 April 2016

7    Paris ePrix     France    TBD    23 April 2016

8    Berlin ePrix     Germany    Tempelhof Airport Street Circuit    21 May 2016

9    Moscow ePrix     Russia    Moscow Street Circuit    4 June 2016

10    London ePrix Race 1     United Kingdom    TBC    2 July 2016

11    London ePrix Race 2    3 July 2016

Race teams are staffed with two drivers that are provided with two cars to use during the race. Since the electric engines develop a very strong power response, in order to include strategy and allow for enough driving time during the race to be entertaining, a pitstop is included where drivers change cars after the first car's on-board power has been depleted, then continue racing to the end.

The driver who is able to manage the depletion of his car's power reserve, perform a flawless pitstop car change, have the best set-up on technology and balance, stays out of contact trouble with other drivers and the track, usually wins.

Drivers and teams come from several backgrounds and countries ... it is notable that even though this series was developed and managed from Europe, two American race teams are there to compete in earnest - Amlin/Andretti Formula E Race Team and Jay Penske's Dragon Racing.

The Bird's Nest serves as a backdrop for the driving class competing in the 2015-2016 FIA Formula E racing season. Image Credit: FIA Formula E

Teams and drivers are as follows - Country - Team - Drivers:

France - Renault e.Dams
Sébastien BUEMI | Nicolas PROST

Germany - ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport
Lucas DI GRASSI | Daniel ABT

India - Mahindra Racing Formula E Team
Nick HEIDFELD | Bruno SENNA

United States/England - Dragon Racing
Loïc DUVAL | Jérôme D'AMBROSIO

China - NEXTEV TCR Formula E Team
Nelson PIQUET JR | Oliver TURVEY

England - DS Virgin Racing Formula E Team
Sam BIRD | Jean-Eric VERGNE

Japan - Team Aguri
Nathanaël BERTHON | Antonio Felix DA COSTA

Monaco - Venturi Formula E Team
Stéphane SARRAZIN | Jacques VILLENEUVE

United States - Amlin/Andretti Formula E Race Team
Robin FRIJNS | Simona DE SILVESTRO

Switzerland - Trulli Formula E Team
Vitantonio Liuzzi | Salvador Duran

October 24, 2015, Beijing, China hosted the first race of this 11 venue second season, the SWUSP Beijing ePrix.

Beijing ePrix race winner's podium - (L to R) P2 - Lucas DI GRASSI - ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport | P1 - Sébastien BUEMI - Renault e.Dams | P3 - Nick HEIDFELD - Mahindra Racing Formula E Team. Image Credit: FIA Formula E

This excerpted and edited from ITV -

Buemi wins first ePrix of season two in Beijing
ITV - 10:05 - 24 Oct 2015

Sebastien Buemi started the second season of the FIA Formula E Championship in perfect fashion becoming the first driver to ever score the maximum possible points haul of 30 points.

After taking the Julius Baer Pole Position in the the new Super Pole shoot-out, the Swiss ace then went on to dominate the SWUSP Beijing ePrix setting the Visa Fastest Lap in the process to complete a unique hat-trick.

“It was a good race. It’s a bit of a weird feeling because I felt I was a little bit on my own, but I would not be against that. It’s good to win with a bit of a margin.

“I’m happy, the team has done a great job and Renault has done a good power train so I’m just looking forward to the next races right now. I think we even managed to have the fastest lap, which was very difficult last year."
 

WUSP Beijing ePrix race start - cars spread out and bunch up as they enter the challenges of making it into Turn 1. Image Credit: FIA Formula E

Buemi admitted he didn’t make the best of starts, but he fended off the fast-starting Mahindra of Nick Heidfeld into the first corner to hold the lead. From there on after he dominated the race.

His ability to stretch his lead was stymied twice by the intervention of the Full Course Yellow. This caution system was making its Formula E debut and was given a thumbs up by the drivers.

Lucas DI GRASSI - ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport leads a string of cars back out onto the track at the SWUSP Beijing ePrix. Image Credit: FIA Formula E

Di Grassi said: “It’s certainly good from a sporting side as it’s safe and allows the track to be cleared fast and we also do it in others categories that myself and other drivers in this series race in.”

Buemi didn’t quite lead every lap, however. He was the first driver to pit for his mid-race car swap, which allowed Dragon Racing’s Loic Duval to spend a lap at the head of the field before he too came in to change into his second car.

Dragon Racing did well as a team in their results at the SWUSP Beijing ePrix. Loïc DUVAL and Jérôme D'AMBROSIO - Dragon Racing finished P4 and p5 respectively placing the team P2 in overall points after Round 1. Image Credit: FIA Formula E

The pitstop process proved to be Hedifeld’s undoing, and as the team struggled to get his belts fastened he lost places to di Grassi and to Renault e.dams Nico Prost. A fine opportunistic move took him back ahead of Prost, and the pair, who famously duelled for victory in season one only to end with a spectacular accident, once again went wheel-to-wheel around the Beijing Olympic Park circuit.


Prost eventually came out on top, but there would be no podium celebration again for the Frenchman. For reasons the team are yet to ascertain, the right-rear wheel guard fell off his car, breaking the rear wing support in the process. Although Prost was able to continue at race speed, the car was considered to be mechanically dangerous and he was shown the black and orange flag by the race officials. This forced him into the pits where he retired.

Beijing ePrix race winner, Sébastien BUEMI - Renault e.Dams, rounding the last turns with Formula E "Drive The Future" banners behind him, as he claims Round 1 victory. Image Credit: FIA Formula E

This promoted Heidfeld back into third place to score the first ever podium finish for the Mahindra team.
----
During the closing laps there was a fantastic duel between Heidfeld and the Dragon Racing team-mates Duval and Jerome D’Ambrosio. There was less than two seconds covering them as they crossed the line.
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The new era of Formula E is here. The racing was as spectacular as ever and with 76,000 people attending the Olympic Park during the event there was a fantastic atmosphere. But Buemi’s rivals will be hoping that his incredible start to the season can’t stand the heat of Putrajaya, when Formula E returns on November 7.
[Reference Here]

P2 Podium holder Lucas DI GRASSI - ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport shares champagne with the crowd at the SWUSP Beijing ePrix. Image Credit: FIA Formula E

Putrajaya, a city nearby Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, hosts the second round of this second season of the fully-electric FIA Formula E Championship - November 7, 2015.

The city of Putrajaya was created in 1993 in order to become the federal administrative capital of Malaysia and is located roughly 30 kilometres south of the capital Kuala Lumpur. The name of the city literally means ‘princes’ (putra) ‘success’ (jaya). It is an open and green city where many iconic buildings have raised recently, like the pink coloured Putra Mosque, the Seri Perdana (enormous official residence of the Prime Minister) and the Millennium Monument, but also beautiful gardens like the Taman Putra Perdana and the Putrajaya Boulevard are worth visiting.
(ht: electricautosport.com)

 FanBoost:

Fans can give their favorite driver an extra speed boost by voting for them both prior to and during the opening six minutes of the race. Voting opens 12 days prior to the race with the three winning drivers receiving an additional 100kJ of energy in their second car only to be used in a power window of 180kW and 200kW. When deploying FanBoost it can only be used once, a series of short bursts will not be possible.

DS Virgin Racing’s Jean-Eric Vergne leads the early running in the FanBoost vote for the Putrajaya ePrix. The Frenchman was a five-time FanBoost winner in season one and is on course for a sixth win ahead of the November 7th race.

Nick Heidfeld, fresh from securing Mahindra’s first podium position in Beijing, lies second, while his team-mate Bruno Senna is currently third. The Brazilian is a four-time FanBoost winner, but hasn’t received the fan vote since Miami in March during the 2014-2015 season.

There are four ways you can vote for your FanBoost favorite:

1. via the official Formula E website – www.fiaformulae.com/fanboost
2. via the official app, which is free to download for iOS and Android
3. via Twitter, where you have to Tweet #FanBoost #DriverName
4. via Instagram, where you have to post a picture or video and #FanBoost #DriverName

... notes from The EDJE


TAGS: FIA, Formula E, Glycerine, FanBoost, SWUSP Beijing ePrix, China, ePrix, Putrajaya ePrix, Malaysia, Sébastien BUEMI, Renault e.Dams, Lucas DI GRASSI, ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport, Nick HEIDFELD, Mahindra Racing Formula E Team, Dragon Racing, Amlin/Andretti Formula E Race Team, United States, The EDJE,

May A Tata Or A Chery Be In Your Future?

Chery Automobile Sales Company announced that Chery S16 will be marketed under the names “QQme”, pronounced “QQ mi”. This name sounds smart and fashionable, was from thousands of recommendations of Chery employees, QQ drivers and vendors. Chery QQme was designed by Enrico Fumia, the chief designer of Lancia, Alfa Romeo and Ferrari F90. Pricing in China is only about $2, 940. Caption and Image Credit: chinacarfans.com

May A Tata Or A Chery Be In Your Future?

The Tata, made in India, or the Chery, made in China, may actually become names that American's get to know if 15% of car purchasers can have their way.

That's right, in a newly released study, fifteen percent of new car buyers in the United States say they would consider purchasing their next vehicle from China, and eleven percent or so would consider buying a car from India. The people surveyed were all were so confident, that they even would purchase a car made from these countries without knowing specific brands or vehicles before hand.

If you think this is far fetched, the same study measured found that even though Korean manufacturers like Kia and Hyundai have been selling cars into the US market for about a couple of decades, the American consumer would buy a car model sight unseen at about a sixteen percent response.

As the flagship of all Chinese automakers, Chery have passed its 11th year, and Chery cars had become the first choice of many Chinese people. Until recently, Chery did not have any high-end brand names, but this status changed last March 19th, 2009 when Chery’s high-end brand Riich was introduced. the Chery high-end sedans and commercial cars will be produced using the Riich brand added to the Chery, Rely and Karry brand names for cars to be marketed by the company. Caption and Image Credit: chinacarfans.com

Based on a national survey of more than 30,000 new car and truck buyers, AutoPacific’s 2009 Research Suite database reveals insights into the willingness of Americans to consider cars and trucks coming from China and India. The just-released study – “Opportunity for Chinese and Indian Brands in the USA” –provides new insight into who these consumers are and what they’re looking for in their next car or truck.

“Not only are a significant number of people willing to consider Chinese and Indian brands, this group consists of highly desirable buyers who would be coveted by any manufacturer. They tend to be young, well-educated, and affluent for their age and have good jobs in administrative, health care and middle management positions,” added Peterson.

Tata Nano - The world’s cheapest car, measuring at a mere 10.2 feet in length, goes on sale next month in India. (And I thought the Smart car was small… geez.) Manufactured by Tata Motors, the Nano will retail for just over $2,000.00, making new car shopping affordable to a whole new demographic in India. Caption & Image Credit: carsdiva.wordpress.com

The study shows Chinese and Indian considerers are more likely to currently own a Japanese or a Korean brand car, indicating that these brands may have the most competition from the new entries, rather than domestic brands like Chrysler, Ford and GM. The study also revealed that while those who would consider a car from China and India rate reliability and durability high, they are not as interested in the dynamics of a vehicle like handling, braking and acceleration.

George Peterson, president of automotive research firm AutoPacific and author of the study states, “With so many premium and high-tech non-automotive products already being made in China and purchased by Americans, why not automobiles too? It appears that buyers in America are willing to give Chinese and Indian vehicles a chance right out of the box. Understanding these consumers will be critically important to the success of any newcomer.”
(ht: AutoPacific)

... notes from The EDJE