Flying Cars (Electric) in China Are a Reality: Solid-State Batteries Are the Key

Periodically, news emerges about "flying cars" even though it might be time to stop calling them that. They are not cars; some of these vehicles vaguely resemble them, but they look more like giant drones. And indeed, in many cases, that’s precisely what they are.

Cabins for one or more passengers, connected to a multi-rotor system, often powered by batteries and electric energy. Initially, private mobility was envisioned; however, the sector has shifted more towards services—namely air taxis, tourist routes, or multimodal connections between different points of interest.

What seemed like a utopia or pure science fiction just a handful of years ago is increasingly becoming a reality. In fact, in some places, it already is real. We’re once again talking about China, where the eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) sector has suddenly become significant, so much so that the government intends to include it in the new five-year plan, which is the national programming guiding the entire population in a collective effort.

In Guangzhou, for example, a new production facility has come into operation that combines automotive industry methods with aviation standards. The facility is designed to produce 100 aircraft per year and to develop a two-seater multi-rotor aircraft capable of taking off and landing vertically, with a maximum range of 30 km.

But it’s not just about current or future production. The EH216 aircraft from EHang has already entered service and is the first certified autonomous eVTOL in China to regularly offer tourist services from bases in Guangzhou and Hefei.

Meanwhile, there are already plans to extend the routes and transport more people. Currently undergoing certification testing in Chengdu, a new aircraft is intended for intercity transport, with six seats and a range of up to 200 km.

All these projects, and many more—all of them Chinese—are looking to the future of batteries with extreme interest. The Holy Grail is still solid-state, which should allow for greater range, less weight, and increased safety. EHang has just completed a test of 48 minutes using solid-state cells with a metal lithium anode and a ceramic oxide-based electrolyte, achieving an energy density of 480 Wh/kg.

Many battery manufacturers claim to be nearly ready for mass production between 2027 and 2028, and once solid-state batteries are tested in thousands of vehicles, the aviation sector will have a green light, given its considerably smaller numbers.