The prototype from Chinese manufacturer GAC combines a drone with a chassis that separates before takeoff.

They don't look like the flying cars depicted in science fiction movies, but vehicles with the ability to move through cities without touching the ground are getting closer to becoming a reality.

China's state-owned automobile company Guangzhou Automobile Group, (GAC) unveiled a new model called GOVE, which combines the mobility of a drone with the base of a conventional electric car and allows for street travel.

In the shape of a helicopter, the cabin is a capsule with capacity for a single passenger driver, equipped with six masts and the corresponding rotors and blades, thanks to which it can take off (e-VTOL, an acronym for electric vertical take-off and landing). So it needs minimum space for take off or landing.

The bottom part is a four-wheeled chassis, which allows it to move along streets and highways thanks to an electric propulsion system, like the one used by cars we know, explained Nikkei Asia.

In addition, Gove is equipped with GAC's ADiGO-Pilot autonomous pilot system and has a dual multi-rotor flight system.

So the first novelty of this model is that the cabin is separated from the base to take flight and the lower platform can only continue traveling because it has autonomy of movement and is able to reach a charging station by itself.

Thus, the pilot in the cockpit fully controls the driving and movement of the vehicle, but when disconnected the base is autonomous, with the added possibility of being used by another user. And here we find the second peculiarity of GOVE, because the GAC company is committed to the sale of the flying car, while the platforms or chassis would be shared use, and each user can request it when needed.

On the other hand, GAC is working together with aerospace research institutes to develop a flight technology collaboration ecosystem and is committed to creating a safe and reliable corridor for air travel, Wu Jian, president of GAC research institute, told NaciónRPM media.

More details are still unknown, such as flight autonomy, as it is still in the development phase, but GAC already plans to move it into series production.

However, there is a step before it goes to market, which is the specific regulation that regulates traffic, so that this new form of urban mobility runs safely and in order.

The hybrid flying car is the future

The future would not be a flying car, but a hybrid flying car: half car, half helicopter.

You already know a lot about air taxis and flying cars, but now they want to give it another twist, and Chinese automaker GAC Group has unveiled its latest all-electric mobility solution, an eVTOL called Gove, at its Tech Day event in China. Gove has two separate vehicles that can operate both in the air and on the ground together or independently.

This new vehicle can reach a maximum speed of 400 km/h, can carry four passengers and is powered by an electric battery system that gives it a range of 1,000 km on a single charge. The GAC Group is China's state-owned automobile conglomerate and is currently the country's fifth largest manufacturer in this sector.

In addition to vehicles, this group researches and develops other mobility solutions with its various technologies, such as chargers with fast charging technology for electric vehicles and eVTOL.

Gove and the hybrid flying car challenge

The Gove is designed for urban air mobility and is expected to be used for short-haul flights such as airport transfers and city commuting. The eVTOL market is growing, and the GAC Group is not the only automaker looking to enter it.

Other companies such as Hyundai, Toyota and General Motors are also developing their own prototypes to gain a share of the urban air mobility market. There is no doubt that the development, manufacture and certification of eVTOLs are important challenges that companies around the world are trying to overcome in order to gain ground.

Gove is a combination of the names "GAC, On the Go, Vertical and EV". As for the interior design, the passenger sits in the eVTOL part of the Gove, while the vehicle below navigates autonomously. The company has completed the initial design phase of the aircraft and is now moving into the development phase.

Something we have to keep in mind is that they still need to get certified to fly with passengers on board, kind of like Uber but in the air.in the tsio, not to mention that the electric plane, which is connected to the car, will take time, due to possible regulatory obstacles.

Gove is a promising step towards a more sustainable and efficient way of seeing where all-electric mobility is headed.

As the market for these types of vehicles continues to grow and evolve, it will be fascinating to see how manufacturers shape the future of transportation.