Key Points
- The eVTOL industry is nearing a commercial tipping point, driven by significant advancements in battery technology, with August 2025 noted as a milestone month.
- Major Chinese battery manufacturers like CALB (Zhongchuang XinHang 中创新航), CATL (Ningde Shidai 宁德时代), and Sunwoda (Xinwangda 欣旺達) are leading innovations with high energy density batteries (e.g., CALB’s 300 Wh/kg system, Sunwoda’s 320 Wh/kg battery), tailored for aerospace applications.
- The GOVY AirCab, powered by CALB, garnered nearly 1,000 pre-orders by June 2025 and aims for mass production and certification in the second half of 2026.
- The eVTOL market is projected for massive growth, with over 1,500 intended orders announced since early 2025 and an estimated 30 GWh additional demand for lithium batteries by 2030.
- China’s robust supply chain offers a significant advantage, being 30% to 50% more cost-effective and potentially halving the development cycle, while solid-state batteries are emerging as the next major disruptor, predicted to exceed ¥10 billion RMB ($1.4 billion USD) in market value by 2026.
Resume Captain
Your AI Career Toolkit:
- AI Resume Optimization
- Custom Cover Letters
- LinkedIn Profile Boost
- Interview Question Prep
- Salary Negotiation Agent
The race for eVTOL commercialization is heating up, and the secret sauce isn’t in the propellers—it’s in the power systems.
Significant breakthroughs in eVTOL batteries are pushing the entire industry toward a massive commercial tipping point, with some of the biggest names in battery manufacturing leading the charge.
If you’re an investor, founder, or just a tech enthusiast, this is the deep dive you need on the battery innovations set to reshape the low-altitude economy.
The Battery Breakthroughs Fueling the eVTOL Boom
It’s official: August 2025 is a milestone month for the future of air mobility.
The core of this progress?
Battery manufacturers are doubling down on R&D for highly specialized aviation power systems, and it’s paying off.
On August 10, a major move signaled just how serious this is:
China Aviation Lithium Battery (CALB) (Zhongchuang XinHang 中创新航) announced a deepened strategic partnership with Guangdong GOVY Technology Co., Ltd. (Guangdong Gaoyu 广东高域).
This isn’t just a handshake deal.
It’s a focused collaboration to create standardized power products for the entire eVTOL sector.
CALB was already the power source behind the Aircab from Guangdong GOVY, which is an eVTOL subsidiary of the auto giant GAC Group (Guangqi Jituan 广汽集团).
A Case Study: The GOVY AirCab
To see this in action, look no further than the GOVY AirCab.
Unveiled in June 2025, it quickly racked up nearly 1,000 pre-orders.
The prototype was delivered just a month later in July.
It’s now navigating the all-important airworthiness certification process.
The forecast?
Certification and mass production deliveries are slated for the second half of 2026.
The Tech Under the Hood: CALB’s Next-Gen Batteries
A CALB representative broke down the tech making this possible:
- The Current Powerhouse: The battery is CALB’s 9-series high-nickel/silicon system battery, custom-built for low-altitude travel.
- Key Specs: It merges high energy density with top-tier safety. We’re talking a single-cell energy density of over 300 Wh/kg and support for blazing-fast 6C charging.
- What’s Next: Their second-generation semi-solid-state large cylindrical battery is already hitting an energy density of 350 Wh/kg, placing them at the absolute forefront of aviation battery tech.
The Key Players: Who’s Winning the eVTOL Battery Race?
CALB isn’t the only one making moves. The competition is fierce, and several giants are hitting major milestones.
Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL)
CATL (Ningde Shidai 宁德时代), a global battery behemoth, has thrown its hat in the ring with its revolutionary condensed matter battery.
They’re collaborating on civil electric manned aircraft projects, ensuring their tech meets strict, aviation-grade standards and testing protocols.
Sunwoda Electronic Co., Ltd.
Sunwoda (Xinwangda 欣旺达) is already in the mass production phase with its specialized eVTOL battery, the “Sunwoda Cloud Aviation 1.0” (“Xin·Yunxiao 1.0” 欣·云霄1.0).
Check out these impressive specs:
- Energy Density: An impressive 320 Wh/kg.
- Durability: A cycle life of 2,000 cycles, meaning it’s built to last.
- Resilience: It supports flights in an extreme temperature range, from a frigid -30℃ to a scorching 60℃, and has passed critical airworthiness tests for harsh environments.
Find Top Talent on China's Leading Networks
- Post Across China's Job Sites from $299 / role, or
- Hire Our Recruiting Pros from $799 / role
- Qualified Candidate Bundles
- Lower Hiring Costs by 80%+
- Expert Team Since 2014
Your First Job Post
The Market Explodes: A Data-Backed Look at eVTOL Growth
The hype is real, and it’s backed by numbers.
According to Shenzhen Gaogong Industry Research Co., Ltd. (Gaogong Chanye 高工产业), the order books are filling up fast.
Since the start of 2025, eVTOL companies have announced over 1,500 intended orders.
Looking ahead, the impact on the battery market is staggering.
By 2030, eVTOLs are projected to create an additional 30 GWh in demand for lithium batteries.
Gaogong Industry research pinpointed 2025 as the commercialization tipping point for eVTOLs, marking the start of an acceleration period for mass production.
Why China’s Supply Chain is a Game-Changer
A huge factor driving this acceleration is the maturity of China’s domestic supply chain.
This isn’t just a minor advantage; it’s a massive one.
Chinese supply chain solutions are projected to be 30% to 50% more cost-effective than their European and American counterparts.
Even more crucial, they can halve the development cycle.
Feng Xingya, Chairman of GAC Group (Guangqi Jituan 广汽集团), highlighted the powerful synergy at play.
He noted the shared technologies between electric vehicles (EVs) and eVTOLs will create an integrated industrial chain, supercharging the growth of both the new energy vehicle sector and the low-altitude economy.
ExpatInvest China
Grow Your RMB in China:
- Invest Your RMB Locally
- Buy & Sell Online in CN¥
- No Lock-In Periods
- English Service & Data
- Start with Only ¥1,000
The Next Frontier: Solid-State Batteries are the Disruptor to Watch
If you think the current tech is impressive, wait until you see what’s next.
The application of solid-state batteries in the eVTOL space is rapidly gaining momentum.
Companies like Sunwoda (Xinwangda 欣旺达) and Farasis Energy (Ganzhou) Co., Ltd. (Funeng Keji 孚能科技) are already deep into strategy and development in this area.
Why does this matter? Solid-state batteries promise even greater energy density and safety, which are the holy grails for aviation.
A research report from Guolian Securities (Guolian Zhengquan 国联证券) predicts that as the low-altitude economy enters its industrialization phase, domestic OEMs will see a surge in certifications around 2026.
This boom in eVTOL development is expected to create a multi-billion RMB market for solid-state batteries.
By 2026, this niche could be worth tens of billions of RMB—potentially exceeding ¥10 billion RMB ($1.4 billion USD).
Takeaway for Investors and Founders
Cai Zilin, an analyst at Wanlian Securities Co., Ltd., summed it up perfectly.
Thanks to the EV boom, China has already built a complete and robust power battery industrial chain.
Now, aircraft companies and battery makers are pouring R&D investment into solid-state technology.
This creates a powerful feedback loop.
Better batteries enable better eVTOLs, and the demand from eVTOLs accelerates battery development.
The result? The industrialization and deployment of solid-state batteries in aircraft are set to accelerate, creating massive opportunities.
The future of flight is electric, and the technological leaps in eVTOL batteries are what will get it off the ground.
