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EHang Holidings, a Chinese drone manufacturer, has officially started selling its pilotless flying taxi model EH216-S on Taobao, Alibaba’s online shopping site. According to Reuters, the company announced the Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing Aircraft (eVTOL) for 2.39 million yuan (approximately R$1.6 million).
What do you need to know:
- The availability of EHang’s flying taxi in the Chinese retail market comes a little earlier than expected, previously scheduled for April 1;
- EHang obtained safety approval certification from China’s aviation authority in October 2023, becoming the first in the country to achieve such approval;
- The EHang 216-S, although it is one of many eVTOLs in development, is one of the few that does not require a pilot on board, functioning almost like a drone — but with passengers;
- With a drone-based design, the model has the capacity to transport two people on short-distance trips;
- The Brazilian company Gohobby announced in December the official arrival of the EHang 216-S in Brazil. The first units should start circulating later this year.
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In development for years, the EH 216-S debuted at CES in 2016, achieving official certifications from the Civil Aviation Administration of China only in 2023. The model has already performed commercial flight demonstrations in cities such as Guangzhou and Hefei and aims to meet market demands and drive the value of eVTOLs in urban air mobility.
EH 216-S Details
Although it resembles a drone, the 216-S differentiates itself with its integrated safety systems and features, which follow those of conventional aviation. The Chinese eVTOL has 12 independent batteries, responsible for a range of 30 km on a charge, and 16 engines that allow a maximum speed of up to 130 km/h, according to an official release.
- The EHang 216-S is 5.73 m wide and 1.93 m high;
- 620 kg maximum take-off weight;
- Due to the vertical take-off and landing, the flying car does not depend exclusively on landing strips, being able to use different locations, fitting well with urban mobility.
