In a milestone for electric aviation, CATL has successfully validated its aviation-grade power battery system for manned eVTOL aircraft against a dual-adjacent-cell thermal runaway scenario. The company announced that the system, which uses prismatic cells with an energy density of 350Wh/kg, is the world’s first aviation battery pack at this energy level to pass such a stringent safety test without heat propagation.
During the verification process, test engineers deliberately triggered thermal runaway in two neighboring cells at different positions – including both center and corner locations – and the system successfully contained the event with no thermal spread to other cells. The breakthrough provides a substantial safety upgrade for the low‑altitude economy and marks another empirical step in CATL’s ongoing efforts to push the boundaries of battery safety in extreme conditions.
The entire production, inspection, and testing chain for the cells and the battery system was carried out under the supervision of designated representatives from the civil aviation authority, laying a solid foundation for helping eVTOL airframes meet the rigorous safety standards required for commercial passenger operations.
According to the company, the aviation battery system is now ready for mass production and will first be deployed on AutoFlight’s manned eVTOL aircraft. Moving from new‑energy vehicles to manned aviation, CATL says it will continue to collaborate with industry partners and academic institutions to tackle technical challenges, reinforcing the safety baseline for both aircraft manufacturers and end users.