Taking to the Skies: GAC Group's Gove Transforms Your Drive into a Flight
It appears the world's automakers have been reading too much science fiction, deciding they don't want to stick with making plain old earth-bound vehicles. Instead, they've chosen to pursue the much more sensible (note the sarcasm) option of flying cars. Imagine it – never again will you need to worry about traffic jams, potholes, or flat tires. Just launch into the air and away you go. All you'll have to contend with are bird droppings, and the occasional drone.
So, into this surreal landscape of vehicles and vertigo, a new contender has roared – or perhaps, whirred – into view. Say hello to GAC Group, the Chinese automotive giant who has clearly had one too many late-night Chinese takeaway binges while watching "Back to the Future."
Yes, GAC has decided to throw its hat into the proverbial flying car ring and has unveiled an electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle - or an eVTOL for those who like a good acronym. The name GOVE is an acronym salad comprised of GAC, On the Go, Vertical, and EV. And if you ask me, it sounds like a government minister's worst nightmare.
In a flash of brilliance or potentially catastrophic madness, the Gove features a design in which the vehicle and chassis can be separated. Picture Transformers without the catchy theme tune or cool voiceovers. This two-in-one vehicle can cruise down the highway, and then with a flick of a switch, fly over the rest of the mind-numbing commute. It's the vehicular equivalent of a mullet - business in the front, party in the back. It's a car! It's a plane! It's... well, frankly, we're not quite sure.
The Gove is fitted with GAC's ADiGO-Pilot autonomous piloting system and a dual backup multi-rotor flight system. GAC is teaming up with various eggheads from research institutes in the aerospace field, all of them apparently committed to creating a 'safe and reliable air travel corridor'. I'm picturing a sky full of floating cars, looking like a scene straight out of The Jetsons.
This Gove flying car lark is just the beginning, according to the president of the GAC research institute, Wu Jian. Future plans include working with Ruqi Mobility and Robotaxi for an integrated travel solution.
Now, you might think the Gove seems familiar. That's because it bears a striking resemblance to a similar eVTOL revealed by another Chinese team last year. As it turns out, the Beijing Institute of Technology beat them to the punch with a two-seat prototype of a flying car, which also boasts a split design.
The eVTOL industry is bustling, with more models popping up faster than zits on a teenager's face. From flying saucers in Shenzhen to Xpeng's Aeroht zooming over the Pearl River, there's plenty to choose from. Meanwhile, Ehang is crafting an autonomous aerial vehicle resembling a chopper, while Volkswagen's V.MO looks as though it was inspired by a certain flying rodent.
So, that's the Gove in a nutshell. It's flying, it's driving, and it's part of a broader trend of car manufacturers deciding to ignore gravity and soar into the wild blue yonder. Will it change the world, or end up as another expensive pipe dream? Only time will tell. For now, however, it certainly makes for an entertaining story to tell at the pub. I'll drink to that!
