Horrifying Rehearsal Video: Flying Cars Crash At China’s Changchun Air Show, Pilot Injured

Two flying cars crashed into each other mid-air during a rehearsal for the upcoming Changchun Air Show 2025. The incident took place on September 19 in Changchun, Jilin Province, just days before the five-day aviation event was set to begin on September 19. The crash injured one pilot and triggered a fire while landing on the ground, while the other landed safely.

The electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles, both developed by Xpeng Aeroht (a subsidiary of Chinese EV giant Xpeng Inc.), were performing a high-difficulty formation flight when they collided due to what the company called “insufficient spacing”.

Several videos of the incident are circulating on Chinese social media and state-run media outlets. The clips showed emergency

crews, including fire trucks and ambulances, rushing to the scene as thick smoke rose from the wreckage.

Xpeng AeroHT confirmed to Yicai that today’s eVTOL crash during a rehearsal for the Changchun Airshow was caused when one sustained damage and caught fire while landing. The other landed safely. The clarification comes after online videos showed two aerial vehicles on fire.… pic.twitter.com/7AYN4n4zla

— Yicai 第一财经 (@yicaichina) September 16, 2025

What did Xpeng Aeroht say?

According to a statement provided to CNN, Xpeng Aeroht said they were practising a formation flight, but because of “insufficient spacing,” the collision took place. One of the aircraft “sustained fuselage damage and caught fire upon landing,” while the other landed safely.

Xpeng confirmed that all personnel at the scene are safe, adding, “Local authorities have completed on-site emergency measures in an orderly manner.”

The two vehicles had been performing high-difficulty stunts in close formation. One pilot sustained minor injuries, a company employee told CNN.

An investigation into the crash is currently underway. Despite the incident, the Changchun Air Show is expected to proceed as planned.

Xpeng Aeroht’s vision

The flying cars sit at the heart of China’s goals to build a “low-altitude economy”, a sector that encompasses technologies like flying taxis, autonomous drones, and short-range cargo delivery in airspace below 3,000 meters.

The electric flying cars take off and land vertically, and the company is eyeing to sell them for around $300,000 (approximately Rs 2.6 crore) each.

Xpeng Aeroht is among the largest manufacturers of electric vehicles (EVs) in the world. In January, the Chinese company claimed to have received around 3,000 orders for its eVTOL vehicles. The firm has also been expanding its footprint internationally, particularly in European markets.