Xpeng, a Guangzhou-based electric vehicle manufacturer, has reportedly entered the yacht industry by establishing an R&D team of nearly 100 people earlier this year for a project codenamed “Flying Fish.” Led by Qian Zhanwei, head of vehicle architecture, the initiative represents Xpeng’s latest effort to build an integrated mobility ecosystem spanning land, sea and air. According to local media outlet Leiphone, the yacht is still in early development, with advanced chassis algorithm technology as its primary focus. Xpeng has not publicly confirmed the report, but the target market is said to be high-net-worth families.
This expansion follows a trend among automakers branching into marine applications. Luxury car brands such as Mercedes-AMG, Lamborghini and Porsche have all introduced high-end yachts, leveraging strengths in technology integration, design, branding and supply chain management to deliver performance, luxury interiors and electric intelligence on the water. Industry observers note that automakers can adapt automotive capabilities—especially in digital controls and advanced chassis systems—to create competitive smart yachts.
Chinese tech companies are also making moves in the yacht sector. In February, Richard Liu, founder of a major e-commerce platform, announced a 5 billion yuan investment to launch an independent smart yacht brand called Sea Expandary. Backed by strategic partnerships in Shenzhen and Zhuhai, Sea Expandary aims to break overseas dominance by offering electric-powered yachts priced as low as 100,000 yuan to a broader consumer base.
China’s yacht market has grown rapidly, with newly registered vessels accounting for about 54.7% of the total fleet over the past three years. Yet domestic manufacturers currently hold less than 4% of global market share, underscoring the industry’s early-stage development. Xpeng’s yacht project complements its flying car subsidiary, Aridge, which secured nearly $200 million in funding this March and is preparing for a potential public listing. Aridge’s Guangzhou production facility and its upcoming Land Aircraft Carrier vehicle, expected to be priced under 2 million yuan, demonstrate the company’s multi-modal mobility ambitions.
Source: CNEV Post
