CES 2025 turns sci-fi into reality with the unveiling of a flying car and moped

When pondering the future of tech: few images have been more symbolic in popular culture than the flying car. Whether it's the flying DeLorean in Back to the Future II or Howard Stark's hovering Cadillac in the halls of the Stark Expo. 

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While not a science-fiction film, the future is here at CES 2025. International brand RICTOR, and Chinese aerospace company Xpeng Aero HT, both showcased unique, inventive vehicle offerings to take you from the ground to the skies.  

The Flying Moped

Rictor's Skyrider X1 is a 'moped-cum-quadcapter', meaning: half-moped, half-quadcopter. The vehicle's propulsion very much resembles a drone, with propellers attached to a cockpit somewhat reminiscent of a modern bullet train. In terms of functionality, that comparison remains somewhat true. The Skyrider X1 is capable of achieving 100km/h flight speeds, with a maximum of 40 minutes of flight time up to 200 meters above the ground. For comparison, the average multi-rotor drone is capable of 20-30 minutes of flight. With flight speeds anywhere from 70-100 km/hr. 

However, in terms of land speed, the Skyrider X1 is only capable of 70 km/hr. Which, realistically, is as fast as you'd want to go given the safety considerations of a flying moped (or even a regular moped). Its feature set is intriguing, with specs ranging from automatic takeoff & landing to automatic route planning. Most of all, Rictor plans to retail the vehicle for $60,000 USD. Not too shabby! 

While we couldn't source footage of the Skyrider X1 in action, we'd advise checking out their official product page for more information and some interesting imagery. 

The Flying Car

This next one is truly something out of a James Bond movie. Xpeng Aero HT's offering, referred to as a 'Land Aircraft Carrier', aims to "seamlessly integrate ground and air travel" to offer a unique and convenient mode of transportation. 

It somewhat resembles a van-shaped Tesla CyberTruck in its land based form. However, the kicker is that it's equipped with a smaller eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) vehicle in the back, that can be rolled out and launched into flight with the press of a button. The car is able to transform seamlessly, separating and rejoining the ground and air modules on-the-fly. With single-stick flight controls that enable even novice users to "master the basics in five minutes and become an expert in three hours". 

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Yahoo reports that the vehicle is priced "below $300,000", with 3,000 intent orders already placed for demographics ranging from thrill-seekers, to emergency services. Though you might still be wondering: how does this actually work in practice? The best way to see is to check out the Land Aircraft Carrier's first, fully autonomous flight - which took place just a month ago at the 15th Airshow China. 

World's first "Land Aircraft Carrier" completed its first fully autonomous public flight.