Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic has announced that flying cars will debut in Serbia on December 1, 2026, as part of preparations for the specialised Expo 2027 in Belgrade, a key showcase for the country’s modernisation strategy.

Vucic made the announcement during his visit to Beijing, where he held a series of bilateral meetings with more than 10 world leaders and representatives of major Chinese companies, including XPeng, a firm developing flying cars. He said that Serbia plans to showcase the vehicles at the Expo and integrate their use within the country.

“We talked about flying cars, which are now around $300,000 here. I expect them to refuse a permit in China, and I believe that next year by December 1 we will be able to show how flying cars work on the territory of Serbia,” Vucic said, according to Danas.

The Serbian leader, attending the 80th anniversary of China’s World War II victory, said negotiations are underway to purchase at least three aircraft and finalise regulations by mid-2026 to ensure readiness for the Expo.

Vucic first floated the idea of flying cars during a 2018 visit to Beijing and reiterated it earlier this year at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he discussed potential purchases with US-based Archer and Chinese firms.

The ambitious plan is part of Serbia’s broader Leap into the Future—Serbia 2027 initiative, a €17.8bn investment programme featuring 323 projects nationwide. Investments include the Expo site in Surčin, a new national stadium, luxury hotels, residential complexes and infrastructure improvements.

Critics, however, point to the contrast between these futuristic ambitions and ongoing challenges in Belgrade, where metro construction has repeatedly stalled and vintage trams regularly derail mid-journey.