EHang announced a strategic investment totalling over US$22 million from investors including Zhuhai Enpower Electric and a strategic institutional investor from the Middle East. Both investors agree to a 180-day lock-up period.
The strategic investment from Enpower is based on its recently announced long-term strategic partnership and technology development cooperation with EHang, aimed at co-developing high-performance electric motor drive systems for EHang’s suite of electric vertical take-off and landing (“eVTOL”) aircraft.
Additionally, the strategic investment from the United Arab Emirates (“UAE”)-based investor reflects their optimism in China’s emerging low-altitude economy industry and EHang’s growth potential as a global eVTOL leader. The UAE represents one of EHang’s largest international markets with an intentional order book of 100 units with five units delivered. This investor will utilise their extensive financial and business network to assist in EHang’s international expansion in other countries in the Middle East as well as in Southeast Asia.
This strategic investment brings EHang’s total year-to-date financing to nearly US$100 million, enhancing the Company’s financial position as it embarks on its next phase of development and growth in the global UAM industry. The financing proceeds will bolster EHang’s efforts to advance the Company’s next-generation eVTOL technologies and products, scale production capacity, expand its team, establish new headquarters and operation sites, and support general corporate activities.
Conor Yang, Chief Financial Officer of EHang, commented, “We are pleased to announce the strategic investment, which is a testament to the investors’ confidence in EHang’s vision, strength and industry leadership. With this investment, we are well-positioned to capitalise on the vast opportunities in the UAM market and accelerate our development pace. Additionally, the strategic investors’ support in the upstream industry chain and in downstream international market development will help us to strengthen our competitive edge. We will continue to push the boundaries of innovation, safety, and sustainability, and work towards making UAM a reality for people around the world.”
EHang and Inx achieve battery breakthrough
EHang also announced announced a significant breakthrough in the development of high-energy solid-state battery technology, in collaboration with the Low-Altitude Economy Battery Research Institute of the Hefei International Advanced Technology Application Promotion Center and Shenzhen Inx Energy Technology. Equipped with this solid-state battery, EH216-S completed a continuous 48 minutes and 10 seconds flight test, which is applicable to different flight requirements and significantly improves the flight endurance by 60%-90%. Notably, this marks a milestone as the first pilotless passenger-carrying electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to complete a flight test with a solid-state battery.
The high-performance solid-state lithium battery utilises metallic lithium as the anode and oxide ceramics as the electrolyte, resulting in significant enhancement in energy density and safety. With an energy density of 480Wh/kg and exceptional stability, the battery enhances the flight performance of the EH216-S, broadening its application across the low-altitude economy sector, especially in multiple use cases such as long-range air mobility, aerial logistics, high-rise firefighting, etc.
Compared to liquid lithium batteries, the solid-state battery offers higher energy density, enhanced thermal stability, reduced flammability, wider working temperature, improved storage stability and excellent maintenance-free qualities. The high-energy solid-state battery has undergone rigorous testing, including electrical performance, mechanical performance, safety performance and other aspects, including tests in extreme conditions like high temperature, pinprick, to demonstrate its safety and stability in a variety of use cases. These features can provide an added layer of safety for passengers and operators and also provide reliable support for UAM applications, including urban air transportation, firefighting and emergence response.
EHang Launches UAM hub at Luogang Central Park in Hefei
EHang also announced the launch of a UAM Hub at Luogang Central Park in Hefei, Anhui Province, marking the second vertiport established in Luogang Park following the opening of the Urban Air Mobility Operations Center in May, which will serve as a key infrastructure for the future operation of EH216-S pilotless passenger-carrying aerial vehicles. This Hub also sets a new milestone in EHang’s partnership with Hefei City in the low-altitude economy sector and will serve as a demonstration project for the commercial operations of electric vertical takeoff and landing (“eVTOL”) aircraft in Eastern China.
Titled “Ascend”, the UAM Hub’s upward spiral design symbolises the rise of the eVTOL low-altitude economy. It spans approximately 1,963 square meters and is designed to accommodate 10 to 20 units of EH216-S aircraft. It features multiple dedicated zones for ticketing, passenger waiting, boarding, and a command-and-control center and charging and maintenance areas. It will provide EH216-S flight services for the public according to the operational standard after obtaining the Air Operator Certificate. The hub also serves the functions of maintenance and provides educational services.
The UAM Hub will be operated by Hefei Heyi Aviation as a complement to another UAM operation center inaugurated in May 2024 also within Luogang Central Park. This operation center is equipped to operate 10 units of EH216-S aircraft and store up to 50 eVTOL aircraft, enabling low-altitude shuttle flights within the park.
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