Chinese battery giant CATL is expanding its reach into the emerging electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft industry with a new investment in the startup Autoflight.
CATL and Autoflight join forces to power the skies
CATL invested “hundreds of millions of dollars” in Chinese eVTOL tech developer Autoflight as it seeks to expand its business beyond electric vehicle batteries.
According to the press release, CATL and Autoflight reportedly inked an exclusive strategic investment and cooperation agreement to advance eVTOL tech development on August 3, 2024.
Autoflight claims that the new partnership demonstrates CATL’s strong recognition of its core competitiveness and the long-term” growth prospects in the eVTOL industry.
AutoFlight expects CATL’s extensive Research and Development (R&D) expertise, industrial base, and reliable industry chain advantages to help it reach major breakthroughs in eVTOL technology.
Partnership details
As part of the agreement, CATL and Autoflight aim to form a long-term alliance mainly for joint R&D initiatives regarding eVTOL aviation batteries.
They seek to significantly improve eVTOL batteries’ energy density and overall performance to enable longer flight distances and higher payloads without compromising stability and safety.
The partnership is expected to speed up the innovations in eVTOL batteries, potentially boosting eVTOL aircraft’s technical capabilities.
CATL enters emerging eVTOL sector
CATL is currently dominating the global electric vehicle battery industry. Now, it seems to be attempting to expand the application of its innovative battery technologies in other industries.
CATL introduced its groundbreaking Condensed Battery in April 2023, which it claims to be suitable for electric airplanes. In addition, Chairman Robin Zeng announced in the Summer Davos Forum in late June that CATL was already making strides on its electric manned aircraft project., potentially enabling a range of approximately 2,000 to 3,000 kilometers between 2027 and 2028.
Now, CATL is heavily betting on AutoFlight’s eVTOL technologies. After completing this major financing, the eVTOL startup will continue to pursue in-depth R&D and widespread eVTOL application. AutoFlight aims to accelerate the airworthiness certification of its manned Prosperity passenger aircraft.
