eVTOL Directory

programs · range · autonomy · certification

Most Chinese programs publish longer range targets than Western ones; the only certified passenger eVTOL is the shortest-range one. Certification, not range, decides who flies first.

Horizontal bar chart of published range targets in kilometers: BETA ALIA A250 463; AutoFlight Prosperity 250; Vertaxi M1 250; Joby S4 241; EHang VT35 200; TCab E20 200; Volant VE25 200; Archer Midnight 161; Vertical Valo 161; Wisk Gen 6 144; Eve 100; EHang EH216-S 35. Chinese programs in red, Western in blue. PUBLISHED RANGE TARGETS, KM BETA ALIA A250 463 AutoFlight Prosperity 250 Vertaxi M1 250 Joby S4 241 EHang VT35 200 TCab E20 200 Volant VE25 200 Archer Midnight 161 Vertical Valo 161 Wisk Gen 6 144 Eve 100 EHang EH216-S 35
Programs tracked
28
Chinese programs
11
Type-certified
EH216-S, CarryAll
Hub
Vehicles

Finding

The eVTOL field has narrowed to about a dozen funded programs, split between Western piloted lift-plus-cruise and tilt-rotor designs and a larger Chinese group led by the only type-certified passenger aircraft

Joby, Archer, BETA, Eve, Vertical and Wisk are the surviving Western programs after Lilium's insolvency and pauses at Airbus and Supernal. China has EHang plus at least six passenger programs in CAAC certification - AutoFlight, Aerofugia, Aridge, TCab, Volant and Vertaxi - and AutoFlight's cargo CarryAll already holds type and production certificates.

Architectures cluster into three families. Multicopters (EHang EH216-S, Volocopter VoloCity) are simplest to certify and fly autonomously but are limited to about 35 km. Lift-plus-cruise designs (Archer Midnight, Eve, Wisk Gen 6, AutoFlight Prosperity, BETA ALIA, Aerofugia AE200) use separate lift rotors and pusher propellers. Tilt-rotor and vectored designs (Joby S4, Vertical Valo, TCab E20) are the most efficient in cruise and the hardest to certify. Range figures are published targets with reserves treated differently by each company; the certified EH216-S flies short scenic and point-to-point loops.

Two hybrids sit beside the battery field: Horizon Aircraft's Cavorite X7 and Elroy Air's Chaparral cargo VTOL use batteries for lift and an engine-generator for range. Two battery programs break the pattern. Aridge's Land Aircraft Carrier pairs a two-seat eVTOL with a six-wheel ground vehicle that carries and recharges it, sold to private buyers rather than operators; XPeng reports about 7,000 pre-orders. BETA flies the same airframe as an eVTOL (A250) and a conventional takeoff aircraft (CX300), certifying the CX300 first.

Passenger

Passenger eVTOL programs

Active programs first, then demonstrators, paused and closed programs; battery-electric before hybrid-electric.

Passenger eVTOL programs worldwide
ProgramCountryPowertrainSeats or payloadRange kmAutonomyCertificationStatus
AE200-100 (Aerofugia)Chinabattery-electricpilot + 5200pilotedCAAC type certification in progress; production certificate application accepted May 2025; CCAR-135 operator certificate (May 2025)active
Midnight (Archer Aviation)USbattery-electricpilot + 4161piloted; Wisk autonomy joins only if the Boeing sale closes (pending)FAA means of compliance accepted; Part 135 application; UAE GCAA restricted type certificate trackactive
Land Aircraft Carrier (Aridge (XPeng))Chinabattery-electric2piloted (simplified controls, automated modes)CAAC type certificate application Mar 2024; production certificate application accepted May 2025; on CAAC first compliance roster (Jul 2026)active
Prosperity (V2000EM) (AutoFlight)Chinabattery-electricpilot + 4250pilotedCAAC type certificate application accepted Apr 2024; on CAAC first compliance roster (Jul 2026)active
ALIA A250 (BETA Technologies)USbattery-electricpilot + 5 or cargo463pilotedFAA type certification in progress; Special Airworthiness Market Survey Certificate (Oct 2026)active
EH216-S (EHang)Chinabattery-electric2 passengers, no pilot35autonomous (pilotless, remote supervision)CAAC type certificate Oct 2023; production certificate Apr 2024; air operator certificates Mar 2025; on CAAC first compliance roster (Jul 2026)active
VT35 (EHang)Chinabattery-electric2 passengers, no pilot200autonomousCAAC type certificate application Mar 2025active
e200x (ePlane Company)Indiabattery-electricpilot + 1pilotedDGCA design organization approval; prototype testingactive
Eve eVTOL (Eve Air Mobility)Brazilbattery-electricpilot + 4100piloted; uncrewed laterANAC type certification in progress; FAA validationactive
AirCab (GAC GOVY)Chinabattery-electric2 passengers, no pilotautonomousCAAC certification in progressactive
S4 (Joby Aviation)USbattery-electricpilot + 4241piloted at launch; autonomy work via Xwing (acquired 2024)FAA type certification stage 4 of 5; for-credit TIA flight testing on conforming aircraft; UAE GCAA qualification programactive
Helix (Pivotal)USbattery-electric1 (owner-pilot)piloted (automated flight control)FAA Part 103 ultralight (no type certificate required)active
SD-05 (SkyDrive)Japanbattery-electricpilot + 2pilotedJCAB certification plan agreed Mar 2026; design organization approved Apr 2026active
E20 (TCab Tech)Chinabattery-electricpilot + 4200pilotedCAAC means of compliance accepted Apr 2026; certification plan accepted Jun 2026; type certificate target late 2027active
M1 (Vertaxi)Chinabattery-electricpilot + 5; M1B cargo variant250pilotedCAAC type certificate application for M1B cargo variant Jan 2025active
Valo (Vertical Aerospace)UKbattery-electricpilot + 4 (up to 6)161pilotedUK CAA and EASA; design organization approval (DOA); type certificate target 2029active
VE25-100 (Volant)Chinabattery-electricpilot + 5200pilotedCAAC type certification targeted 2027; on CAAC first compliance roster (Jul 2026)active
Gen 6 (Wisk Aero)USbattery-electric4 passengers, no pilot144autonomous (one ground supervisor for several aircraft)FAA type certification in progress; first hover Dec 2025active
Cavorite X7 (Horizon Aircraft)Canadahybrid-electricpilot + 6pilotedTransport Canada; scale prototype flight testingactive
Matrix (V5000) (AutoFlight)Chinabattery-electricUp to 10 seats250pilotedDemonstrator; full transition flight 2025demonstrator
Shunya (Sarla Aviation)Indiabattery-electricpilot + 6pilotedPrototype; DGCA certification not startedconcept
CityAirbus NextGen (Airbus)Francebattery-electricpilot + 380pilotedEASA SC-VTOL; program paused 2025paused
S-A2 (Supernal)USbattery-electricpilot + 4pilotedFlight program paused 2025paused
VoloCity (Volocopter)Germanybattery-electricpilot + 135pilotedEASA design organization approval (DOA); no type certificate; CAAC special flight permit; light-sport VoloXPro firstacquired
Lilium Jet (Lilium)Germanybattery-electricpilot + 6pilotedEASA SC-VTOL; no type certificateclosed
Butterfly (Overair)USbattery-electricpilot + 5pilotedclosed

Cargo

Cargo eVTOL programs

Uncrewed and remotely piloted cargo aircraft that take off vertically.

Cargo eVTOL programs worldwide
ProgramCountryPowertrainSeats or payloadRange kmAutonomyCertificationStatus
CarryAll (V2000CG) (AutoFlight)Chinabattery-electricCargo, about 400 kg class200remotely piloted, uncrewedCAAC type certificate (Mar 2024), production and airworthiness certificatesactive
Chaparral (Elroy Air)UShybrid-electricCargo pod, 136 kg class724autonomousFAA type certification started 2025; US DOT eIPP participantactive

Sources

Sources and scope

Scope
eVTOL Directory
Sources
Company releases and filings; CAAC; FAA; EASA; Oct 2026
Updated
October 2026