Air Taxi Company Raises $22M; Total of $100M

Chinese flying taxi company EHang Holdings has raised $22 million from Zhuhai Enpower Electric and a strategic investor from the Middle East, bringing the total raised by the company to $100 million.

EHang recently signed a long-term strategic partnership with Zhuhai Enpower to co-develop high-performance electric motors for the EHang eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) vehicle.

The two companies plan to create customized electric motor drive systems for the EHang flying vehicle.

The partnership aims to improve the performance of the EHang fleet of electric aerial vehicles (EAV), using the Enpower technology to refine the design of electric motors and motor controllers “with lighter weight, higher power density, superior cooling performance and broader compatibility across EHang’s eVTOL models,” according to the company.

The new financing is intended to help advance EHang’s next generation of eVTOL technologies and products, scale production capacity, grow the team and establish new headquarters and operation sites, according to the company.

“With this investment, we are well-positioned to capitalize on the vast opportunities in the UAM market and accelerate our development pace,” said Conor Yang, EHang’s chief financial officer.

Related:Flying Taxi Company Partners to Develop Advanced Motor Systems

Additionally, the strategic investors’ support in the upstream industry chain and in downstream 

The unnamed investor is from the United Arab Emirates, where an order for 100 units has been placed.

EHang recently launched an urban air mobility (UAM) hub as a key infrastructure component for the operation of EHang EH216-S pilotless EAV.

The new hub, at Luogang Central Park in Hefei, Anhui Province, is the second vertiport established in Luogang Park after the Urban Air Mobility Operations Center was introduced earlier this year.

The hub is planned as a demonstration project for the commercial operations of EAVs in eastern China.

The UAM hub, at 21,000 square feet, is called Ascend and is designed to accommodate up to 20 flying vehicles. It has separate zones for ticketing, passenger waiting areas, boarding, a command-and-control center and charging and maintenance areas.

The hub is designed to support air shuttle service, aerial tourism and cross-district transportation in the city's main areas. 

EHang formed a strategic partnership with the Hefei Municipal Government in 2023 and the UAM Hub will be operated by Hefei Heyi Aviation.

EHang also conducted its first passenger flights in Thailand as it works to set up commercial flight operations there.

Related:Air Taxi Company Launches Hub for Pilotless Flying Vehicles

Flights in the EHang EH216-S pilotless eVTOL were conducted at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in central Bangkok. 

EHang plans to conduct flight tests in Thailand and launch commercial operations in the regions of Phuket and Koh Samui by 2025.

EHang recently partnered with the Civil Aviation Flight University of China (CAFUC) to collaborate to develop and train operator and maintenance staff for large civil urban aerial vehicles (UAV).

The university, created by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) and the government of Sichuan Province, develops pilot licensing frameworks and specializes in regulations and standards for UAV operators.

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EHang and its local partners have carried out more than 50,000 flights in 17 countries in Asia, Europe, North America and Latin America, according to the company.

EHang and Gohobby plan to conduct test flight campaigns with Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency and Brazil’s Airspace Control Department, where test flights also were conducted.

The exercises are intended to advance development concepts involving unmanned aircraft traffic management systems for efficient UAM deployments across Brazil using the EHang eVTOL.

Related:Air Taxi Company Makes First Passenger Flights in Thailand; Pilotless

EHang has received its Type Certificate, Production Certificate and Standard Certificate of Airworthiness for the EH216-S from the CAAC.

The company recently delivered 10 of its $410,000 eVTOLs to the Taiyuan Xishan Ecological Tourism Investment Construction Co. for local tourism, following a demonstration flying with passengers on board. 

The flying vehicles can carry two passengers and fly autonomously, with battery charging times expected to take fewer than 10 minutes for charging from 30% to 80%.

EHang also featured its VT-30 long-range pilotless EH216-F for firefighting use and the EH216-L for logistics use. 

The firefighting vehicle was showcased at Driftx in Abu Dhabi earlier this year. It has rockets on top to break windows during a high-rise fire and a large nozzle protruding from the front to deliver fire retardant liquid from a tank at the bottom of the craft.

EHang also has an agreement with one of Hong Kong’s largest transportation companies to promote the operation of EHang’s eVTOL in Hong Kong, Macau and other cities in China.

The agreement with KC Smart Mobility Company aims to use the EAV for travel services.

EHang also has signed an agreement with China Southern Airlines General Aviation Company to create operation demonstration sites for low-altitude tourism and flight services.

The companies plan to create sites for EAVs at Zhuhai Jiuzhou Airport and the Zhuhai Chimelong Ocean Kingdom.

EHang delivered 27 flying vehicles to Wencheng County Transportation Development Group in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, as part of a deal to sell 300 EAVs to the tourism development group.

EHang carried multiple passengers in low-altitude, sightseeing tours over Tianding Lake at the Baizhangji Fall and Feiyun Lake Scenic Resort, providing views of the general Wencheng area.

The flying taxi has also made autonomous flights in Saudi Arabia, flying in Mecca in conjunction with Front End Limited Company.

In Saudi Arabia, EHang is supported by Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation, the Ministry of Transport and Logistics Services, the Ministry of Hajj and the Ministry of Interior.

EHang took its first passenger for a demonstration ride in Abu Dhabi, a passenger flight that followed demonstrations of the EAV conducted without passengers at the DriftX mobility expo in Abu Dhabi.

The EAV maker joined the Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industries Cluster in Abu Dhabi and formed a partnership with Wings Logistics Hub, a passenger eVTOL subsidiary of Technology Holding Company.

EHang has also flown a group of 12 EAVs together in China. In a video, the 12 flying vehicles took off together from an airfield in Hefei, China, on what appeared to be a snowy day.