- Ehang conducted the VT35's first public flight in Hefei, Anhui, following the October unveiling of this long-range, next-generation unmanned eVTOL.
- The official retail price for the VT30 standard edition in the Chinese market is set at 6.5 million RMB ($928,000).
Ehang (NASDAQ: EH) has completed the VT35's inaugural public flight, marking a milestone for its next-generation unmanned electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
The Chinese eVTOL developer conducted the VT35's first public flight at Bailong Airport in Hefei, Anhui province on December 28, stating it validated the product's safe, stable, and reliable flight performance.
Ehang unveiled the VT35 in Hefei on October 13. This upgraded takeoff and cruise model, based on the earlier VT30 prototype, is designed for medium-to-long-range applications including intercity, cross-sea, and cross-mountain transportation.
The official pricing for the VT30 standard version in the Chinese market is set at RMB 6.5 million yuan ($928,000), higher than the RMB 2.39-million-yuan price tag of Ehang's current main product, the EH216-S.
The successful maiden flight of the VT35 represents a substantial step toward technology validation and scenario application, following the series' headquarters project being established in Hefei earlier this year, Ehang said in a release.
This lays the groundwork for upcoming airworthiness testing and the expansion of medium-to-long-range air transportation scenarios across cities, islands, and mountainous regions, it noted.
On December 28, Ehang also completed flights of the EH216-S and EH216-F, demonstrating their operational capabilities in urban air mobility and low-altitude emergency scenarios.
The EH216-F series is a firefighting aircraft designed primarily for high-rise building and forest fire suppression. The EH216-S targets urban flight experiences and scenic aerial tours.
As one of China's earliest eVTOL manufacturers, Ehang announced on February 2, 2024, that the official guidance price for the EH216-S in China is RMB 2.39 million.
Powered by batteries, the EH216-S has a maximum takeoff weight of 620 kilograms, according to previously released information from Ehang.
The eVTOL has a maximum flight speed of 130 kilometers per hour and a maximum endurance of 25 minutes.
The VT35 boasts a full-load design range of about 200 kilometers. Compared to its predecessor, the VT-30, it features a more compact airframe -- with a length and wingspan of about 8 meters, a height of about 3 meters, and a maximum takeoff weight of 950 kilograms.
The VT35 is compatible with existing EH216-S vertical takeoff and landing airports and can utilize various urban landing sites including parks, rooftops, and parking lots.
Last November, Ehang completed the first flight test of the solid-state battery-powered EH216-S, achieving a flight duration of 48 minutes and 10 seconds.
In January this year, the company conducted the EH216-S's Shanghai inaugural flight at Longhua Airport, located along the Huangpu River in the eastern Chinese city's downtown area.
($1 = RMB 7.0022)
