A Chinese company recently achieved what it claims to be the world's first in the electric vehicle (EV) sector. According to New Atlas, EHang completed a pilotless test flight of a passenger-carrying eVTOL, also known as an electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, using a solid-state battery.
The vehicle, the EH216-S, completed a nonstop flight of just over 48 minutes.
This is a big deal for a couple of reasons, the first being that solid-state batteries are the next step in making EVs safer and more efficient. Compared to traditional EV batteries widely used today, solid-state batteries have a higher energy density, an increased range, faster charging times, resistance to extreme temperatures, and they don't come with the fire risk.
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The second reason this is a big deal is because it makes air taxis one step closer to becoming a reality. EHang isn't the only company working toward that goal. Companies like Toyota and Boeing are developing their own models, and earlier in 2024, history was made when an eVTOL made the first-ever flight over New York City, but EHang is the first company to do it using a solid-state battery.
"This milestone marks a significant achievement in the development of solid-state battery technology for eVTOLs," EHang COO Zhao Wang said, "further enhancing flight safety while also substantially improving the aircraft's endurance and operational efficiency."
EHang has been working with battery startup Shenzhen Inx Energy Technology Company since September of 2023, specifically working to create a solid-state battery for an eVTOL. The companies developed several iterations before landing on a prototype that was used in the EH216-S test flight.
"EHang has not only made strides in solid-state battery technology but has also collaborated with partners to develop other batteries tailored to specific applications," Wang said, "such as ultra-fast charging and discharging battery solutions for high-frequency short-haul flights."
The benefits of this advancement in solid-state battery production goes well beyond eVTOLs. The promise of longer range with shorter charging times, as well as less susceptibility to extreme temperatures, could convince people to make their next vehicle an EV, reducing planet-warming pollution that contributes to extreme weather that threatens lives and the global food supply.
EHang hopes to produce solid-state batteries on a large scale by the end of 2025.
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