Chinese electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) developer Ehang (NASDAQ: EH) on Monday unveiled its next-generation VT35 model, designed for medium-to-long-range intercity travel, at an event in Hefei, Anhui province.
The VT35 is an upgraded lift-and-cruise design based on the earlier VT30 prototype, targeting applications such as intercity, cross-sea, and cross-mountain transportation. “The VT35 will join the EH216-S to build a comprehensive intelligent air transportation network covering short-, medium-, and long-range scenarios,” Ehang founder, chairman, and CEO Hu Huazhi said.
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The tandem-wing, two-seat aircraft uses eight distributed lift propellers for vertical takeoff and landing and switches to propulsion propellers and fixed wings for cruise flight. The VT35 has a full-load range of about 200 kilometers and a compact footprint with a length and wingspan of approximately 8 meters, a height of about 3 meters, and a maximum takeoff weight of 950 kilograms.
Ehang said the VT35 is compatible with existing EH216-S eVTOL airports and can utilize urban landing sites such as parks, rooftops, and parking lots, enhancing infrastructure use and supporting seamless intercity air transportation.
The model is undergoing airworthiness certification with internal testing and flight trials underway. In March, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) accepted Ehang’s application for a Type Certificate for the VT35.
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At the event, Ehang signed cooperation agreements to advance procurement, promotion, and operation of the VT35. A platform company under the Hefei government has also placed purchase orders, building on a prior August agreement to establish a VT35 product center in Hefei.
Ehang plans to leverage the VT35 platform to launch additional products, including a tilt-rotor model, to expand its low-altitude transportation offerings, the company said.
Photo Gallery: Ehang VT35 eVTOL