Several weeks ago, Aerofugia participated in the International Advanced Air Mobility Expo, where it unveiled a new cockpit system co-developed with Faway Group. The upgrade is designed for the AE200, Aerofugia’s flagship eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft. Despite being the expo’s first edition, 36Kr reported strong attendance from industry stakeholders and a wide showcase of low-altitude aviation technologies.
Earlier this year, China’s National Development and Reform Commission introduced a strategy for low-altitude aviation, prioritizing cargo applications before expanding to passenger use cases. Since then, most original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have accelerated work on cargo eVTOL aircraft, focusing on range, flight time, and payload capacity. Aerofugia, however, has pursued in-house development of a tiltrotor passenger eVTOL plane and was among the first in China to add smart cabin features.
“We’ve adapted proven automotive-grade systems like smart interfaces and ergonomic layouts for use in our eVTOL aircraft,” said Guo Liang, CEO and chief scientist of Aerofugia. At the event, Guo described how the AE200’s redesigned interior incorporates a modular console, custom seating, ambient lighting, and climate controls to improve passenger comfort. According to the company, this is the first time a passenger eVTOL vehicle in China has adopted a carlike interior.
Alongside the cabin concept, Aerofugia displayed a production model of the AE200, its only eVTOL line. The aircraft runs on semi-solid-state batteries and uses eight axes with four inner tiltrotors for takeoff and landing. The interior supports a flexible three-row seating layout for four to six passengers. The third row folds electronically, allowing fast conversion between passenger and cargo modes. The AE200 has a range of 200 kilometers, a cruising speed of 248 kilometers per hour, and is targeted at tourism, intercity travel, and emergency response.
Aerofugia, which marked its fifth anniversary this year, has grown from a small founding team to nearly 600 employees across R&D, manufacturing, and operations. It said it has received hundreds of preorders from clients including Sino Jet and ICBC Leasing, and signed partnerships with Sichuan Airlines, CITIC Offshore Helicopter, and Gansu Provincial Highway Aviation Tourism Investment Group (HATG) to explore potential use cases.
The AE200 is also China’s earliest manned eVTOL program to enter the airworthiness certification process. For comparison, US counterpart Joby Aviation began designing its tiltrotor eVTOL aircraft in 2015 and only reached phase four of certification this year. Aerofugia has condensed a similar cycle into fewer than five years.
Much of this progress is linked to its parent company, Geely.
Unlike most startups that are built from scratch, Aerofugia was founded as Geely’s dedicated low-altitude mobility venture. From the outset, it drew on Geely’s supply chain, infrastructure, and operational ecosystem. Components such as the AE200’s cabin, electric drive systems, and charging infrastructure are integrated with Geely’s automotive network.
“As one of China’s top carmakers, Geely brings not just advanced production experience, but also supply chain reuse across automotive and aviation,” said Fei Lan, co-founder of Aerofugia. “Plus, some of the traffic from Geely’s ride-hailing platforms can be redirected to us.”
Playing the long game
Following the 2024 boom in China’s low-altitude aviation economy, more than 30 domestic eVTOL OEMs have entered the market, roughly double the previous number. This influx has split propulsion strategies, with some companies backing all-electric systems, others choosing hybrid configurations, and a few testing hydrogen propulsion.
Aerofugia remains committed to pure electric models. “That’s based on current infrastructure and what’s feasible domestically,” Fei said. “Electric vehicle adoption has laid a solid foundation, with charging stations and battery tech already in place.” He noted, however, that battery range remains a constraint: “You hit a bottleneck at 400–500 kilometers. To cover all commercial use cases, you’d need 800 kilometers or more. Hybrid configurations have a role to play, but we see pure electric and hybrid systems as complementary.”
Choosing to develop a tiltrotor passenger eVTOL aircraft extended the timeline compared with cargo-focused models, but Aerofugia stayed the course. “Passenger demand commands a higher price than cargo,” Fei said. “If someone’s in a rush, or just wants a more comfortable ride, they will pay for it. That ticket is priced at a different tier than an express parcel.”
This strategy shaped the adaptive cabin concept unveiled in July. Built with eco-friendly, flame-retardant materials, the interior features aviation-grade safety seats, rounded edges, and noise- and vibration-dampening technology. “The goal is to make AE200 a safe, affordable, and comfortable flying vehicle,” Guo said. “We reconfigured the rotor layout from a four-tilt plus four-lift setup to the current eight-axis system. That way, even if one rotor fails, the aircraft can land safely using the outer lift rotors.”
Aerofugia also aims to make urban air travel more affordable. A typical 15-minute helicopter ride might cost RMB 2,000 (USD 280) per seat. AE200 could reduce that to one-third or one-fifth of the cost, equivalent to two to three times the price of a ride-hailing car, but five times faster.
Targeting certification by 2026
Aerofugia plans to begin manned flight tests of the AE200 later this year and aims to complete certification by 2026. Its new headquarters, part of the CDHT Future Science and Technology City Development Group, is set to open later this year. Once operational, the facility will support small-batch production with an annual output capacity of 40–50 units.
Initial commercial uses will include tourism, urban transit, and emergency medical services. Fei gave examples such as a 153-kilometer trip from Hongqiao Airport to Mount Mogan cut to 42 minutes by air, or a journey from Shanghai Pudong International Airport to Lujiazui reduced from 40 minutes by car to ten minutes by air. For medical emergencies, the AE200 could carry patients from Chongming Island to Ruijin Hospital in downtown Shanghai.
Most of the AE200’s systems are now localized through co-development initiatives. For those still reliant on imports, such as avionics, Aerofugia has formed partnerships to close the gap. One example is its joint venture with Wolong to develop propulsion systems for electric aircraft.
Still, international expansion remains a challenge. While the Civil Aviation Administration of China certifies aircraft domestically, other markets require separate approvals from regulators such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) or the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Without recognition agreements, Chinese eVTOL projects must go through these processes independently.
Only a few will endure
According to Fei, the global eVTOL sector is nearing the end of its R&D phase. He expects flight certifications to begin this or next year, followed by commercial trials, with large-scale operations likely after 2030.
Tu Qiang, Aerofugia’s chief product officer, highlighted China’s advantages in supply chain stability and cost efficiency. “Once our local aviation suppliers catch up in performance, we’ll outpace the West not just in aircraft, but also in support infrastructure like charging networks,” he said.
Still, Tu cautioned that survival in the sector is uncertain. The Vertical Flight Society tracks more than 1,000 eVTOL projects worldwide, many of which have gone inactive. R&D remains costly, with Joby Aviation reportedly spending hundreds of millions of USD annually.
Tu predicted that no more than ten Chinese eVTOL companies will survive consolidation. “You need capital and talent,” he said. “There just aren’t enough experienced aviation professionals to go around. Most companies are either hiring from a few aerospace schools or training fresh graduates themselves.”
As for newcomers, Guo offered this advice: “Be bold, and results-oriented. But never lose sight of why you started. You need to operate with long-term discipline.”
KrASIA Connection features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This article was written by Liu Jingqiong and A Zhi for 36Kr.