Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL) announced that its aviation battery system for passenger electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft has successfully passed a stringent thermal runaway propagation test. In this assessment, two adjacent prismatic cells—each with an energy density of 350 Wh/kg—were simultaneously triggered at different locations within the pack, including both central and corner positions. The pack exhibited no thermal propagation beyond the triggered cells.
All phases of production, inspection and testing were overseen by representatives from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), positioning the system to meet civil aviation safety requirements. Thermal runaway propagation presents a critical safety concern for high-energy-density batteries, especially in aviation applications, where industry standards typically involve triggering a single cell. By demonstrating resilience to two-cell ignition events, CATL’s system sets a new benchmark for aviation-grade battery safety.
Manufactured in Ningde, Fujian province, the battery system is now deemed ready for mass production. It will be integrated into the first passenger eVTOL models developed by Autoflight, a Shanghai-based company in which CATL holds a strategic investment. This deployment follows a 2024 agreement under which CATL committed several hundred million dollars to Autoflight, marking the battery maker’s inaugural public investment in the electric aviation sector.
Last year, CATL and Autoflight also introduced a floating vertiport concept: a battery-powered vessel combining an eVTOL landing platform with photovoltaic energy storage and charging infrastructure. This integrated sea-air solution was promoted as the industry’s first.
Beyond aviation, CATL continues to diversify its high-energy-density battery technology into electric vessels and marine applications, extending its leadership beyond electric vehicles. According to SNE Research, the company accounted for nearly 40 percent of global EV battery installations in the first half of 2026, with 242.7 GWh deployed worldwide.
Source: CNEVPost
