Overview
- Xpeng confirmed the 16 September Changchun rehearsal collision and cited "insufficient distance" between aircraft as the cause.
- One aircraft sustained structural damage and caught fire after landing while the other landed safely, and a pilot was injured but not life-threatening.
- Local authorities and AeroHT opened an investigation, with both technical issues and human error under review.
- Xpeng has invested about €600 million in AeroHT, logged more than 2,000 preorders, and plans a Guangzhou factory targeting up to 10,000 units a year from 2026.
- The setback heightens scrutiny of the modular Land Aircraft Carrier program, which was showcased at CES and IAA and holds a UAE permit for a 2026 market start.