EHang's Air Taxi Flies Over Four Cities in Japan, Makes Multiple Breakthroughs

The Chinese-developed EH216 flying vehicle made an appearance on the ceremonial day marking the 1,000-day countdown to the opening of the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, an event meant to introduce innovative eVTOL technologies to the public. In what was described as an exploration of the urban air mobility (UAM) use cases, the EH216 took a tour of four Japanese cities: Amagasaki, Fukuyama, Sakaide, and Oita.

EHang’s electric aircraft made multiple breakthroughs during this tour, demonstrating for the first time uses cases such as aerial sightseeing over the sea, or conducting Japan’s first eVTOL point-to-point demo flight for air mobility in Oika City. The EH216 also took a demo flight with the largest payload to date, carrying 80 kg (176 lb) of cargo in Sakaide. In addition to showing off its abilities via flight, the AAV was also exhibited in downtown Oita, to further expand public cognition.

EHang’s EH216 eVTOL aircraft is a short-range vehicle with a capacity of two passengers. It has 16 electric motors, two gullwing doors, and can reach speeds of over 80 mph (130 kph). The AAV can fly at altitudes of 9.800 ft (3,000 m) and offers ranges of 30 km (almost 18.6 miles) on a charge, with the maximum payload onboard.

These aren’t EHang’s first demo flights in Japan, with the EH216 also proving its worth last year, too, when it flew over Okayama and Fukushima. But with the latest tests, EHang continues its expansion in the Japanese market. The Chinese eVTOL developer says it expects to provide EH216 flights for the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai event too, and it hopes to implement its autonomous and eco-friendly UAM (urban air mobility) solutions in Japan in the near future.