CATL, the world's largest EV battery maker, will develop custom aviation batteries for Blue Vector's Skyla V30 electric vertical-takeoff aircraft. CATL announced on Monday that the two companies had signed both a strategic agreement and a product cooperation agreement. Blue Vector chose CATL as its exclusive battery partner.
The aircraft
- The Skyla V30 is a 2.5-tonne, six-seat, all-electric tiltrotor built for intercity passenger flights.
- IT Home reports a range of 260 km and a top speed of 320 km/h.
- Its first full-scale technology demonstrator, A/C01, rolled out in Harbin on Aug. 31.
- Blue Vector said in September that it had pre-sale orders for 60 aircraft, 30 of them from Singapore's Moon Aero, and more than 100 in total.
What wasn't disclosed
CnEVPost notes that the statement gave no deal value, battery specifications or supply timeline. Beyond this aircraft, the companies plan to work together on technology, research, standards and market development, IT Home reports.
CATL in the air
The deal adds to CATL's aviation work. In August 2024 it agreed to invest in Shanghai's Autoflight and co-develop eVTOL batteries, and in November 2025 Autoflight unveiled a floating vertiport developed with CATL.
