Gasgoo Munich- Civil Aviation Administration of China ("CAAC") has officially released its inaugural list of compliant manufacturers for manned electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. XPENG's affiliated ARIDGE is among the four leading domestic OEMs included in the directory.
The four companies selected are ARIDGE, EHang Intelligent Equipment (Guangzhou), Volant (Shanghai) Aviation Technology, and AutoFlight (Kunshan) Aviation Technology.
The CAAC has rolled out accompanying support policies, offering listed firms three key regulatory advantages: streamlined certification processes, priority handling of application materials, and cross-batch recognition of phased test results. These measures are designed to shorten the airworthiness certification cycle for manned eVTOL models and accelerate the commercialization of low-altitude aircraft.
Image Source: ARIDGE
He Xiaopeng, Chairman and CEO of XPENG, confirmed the news on social media, pledging continued efforts to prioritize safety and innovation.
A subsidiary of XPENG , ARIDGE focuses on the development of intelligent electric aircraft and related technologies. To date, the company has secured over 7,000 global orders for its flying cars—ranking first worldwide in order volume. Its first flying car is slated for mass production in 2026. The company has already completed construction of the world’s first dedicated factory for such vehicles, featuring a planned annual capacity of 10,000 units across a floor area of 120,000 square meters.
The release of this directory marks a significant upgrade in China’s eVTOL regulatory framework—shifting from a standardized audit model to a more precise, tiered management approach. Top-tier compliant manufacturers will see a substantial boost in certification efficiency, allowing them to establish commercial operations ahead of rivals and intensifying the industry’s consolidation among market leaders. As policies supporting the low-altitude economy gain traction, numerous domestic aviation tech firms are ramping up efforts in aircraft development, flight testing, and airworthiness applications.
