EHang Partners with China Road and Bridge Corporation to Expand Global Market, Debuts EH216-S First Flight in Africa

Rhea-AI Summary

EHang Holdings (Nasdaq: EH), the leading urban air mobility technology company, has announced a strategic partnership with China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) to accelerate its global expansion. The partnership will focus on promoting EHang's pilotless aerial vehicles, developing application scenarios, and building infrastructure.

In a significant milestone, EHang successfully completed the first human-carrying flight of its EH216-S in Rwanda during Aviation Africa 2025, marking its expansion to 21 countries. The demonstration was attended by Rwandan President Paul Kagame and other dignitaries from over 50 countries.

CRBC, operating in over 70 countries, will serve as EHang's agent in overseas markets, leveraging its extensive international network and infrastructure development expertise to support EHang's growth in the global low-altitude economy.

Positive

• Strategic partnership with CRBC expands EHang's access to over 70 countries
• First successful human-carrying EH216-S flight in Africa, expanding presence to 21 countries
• High-level government and diplomatic support demonstrated at Rwanda demonstration
• Partnership provides infrastructure development expertise and international certification support

Negative

• None.

Insights

UAM Industry Expert

EHang's partnership with CRBC significantly expands global market access while African flight demonstration showcases commercial viability in new regions.

EHang's new strategic partnership with China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) represents a significant market expansion opportunity for the company's autonomous aerial vehicle business. CRBC's presence in over 70 countries provides EHang with an established distribution channel that would typically take years to develop independently.

The partnership is strategically valuable in three key dimensions: First, CRBC will serve as a sales agent for EHang's products in international markets, potentially accelerating revenue growth. Second, the companies will collaborate on infrastructure development, which addresses a critical barrier to UAM adoption. Third, they will work on scenario-based applications, helping identify viable commercial use cases.

The successful demonstration flight in Rwanda – expanding EHang's operational footprint to 21 countries – is particularly noteworthy as Africa represents a promising market for aerial mobility solutions. Regions with underdeveloped ground transportation infrastructure often present compelling use cases for aerial mobility technologies, potentially allowing these markets to leapfrog traditional infrastructure development.

What makes this partnership especially valuable is CRBC's expertise in infrastructure projects – including roads, ports, and airports – which complements EHang's technology platform. The high-level government attendance at the Rwanda demonstration indicates significant regulatory interest, which could streamline approval processes in African markets.

This development builds upon EHang's regulatory momentum in China, where they've secured type certification, production certification, and standard airworthiness certification, making them the first company globally to achieve this regulatory trifecta for pilotless passenger-carrying eVTOLs.

GUANGZHOU, China, Sept. 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EHang Holdings Limited (“EHang” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: EH), the world’s leading urban air mobility (“UAM”) technology platform company, today announced a strategic partnership with China Road and Bridge Corporation (“CRBC”). Both parties will leverage their leading advantages in their respective fields to carry out all-round cooperation in aspects such as the promotion and sales of EHang's pilotless aerial vehicle, scenario-based applications, and infrastructure construction, accelerating the growth of the global low-altitude economy.

Image: EHang and CRBC Sign Strategic Cooperation Agreement

Lianzhi Zhao, Deputy General Manager of CRBC; Yi Zhang, General Manager of the Supply Chain Division of CRBC; Liang Zhao, Deputy General Manager of the Market Development Division of CRBC; together with Zhao Wang, Chief Operating Officer of EHang; Rucheng Lu, Chief Engineer of EHang; and Tianxing He, Vice President of Marketing of EHang, attended the signing ceremony and working meeting.

Image: EHang and CRBC Hold Discussion Meeting

CRBC, one of China’s earliest state-owned enterprises to enter the international engineering contracting market, has a broad and influential global presence. With operations in over 70 countries and regions and a well-established international network, CRBC provides a strong platform to support EHang’s global expansion. CRBC will act as an agent to promote EHang’s innovative products in overseas markets. Leveraging CRBC’s global platform, EHang will further enhance its international visibility and competitiveness in the emerging low-altitude economy.

From September 4-5, EHang, in collaboration with CRBC, participated in the Aviation Africa 2025 in Kigali, Rwanda, where it completed the first human-carrying flight of the EH216-S pilotless aerial vehicle in Africa – expanding EHang’s global flight footprint to 21 countries. The milestone debut was witnessed by Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Minister of Infrastructure Jimmy Gasore, Director General of the Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority Silas Udahemuka, and Chinese Ambassador to Rwanda Wenqi Gao, together with aviation representatives and media from over 50 countries worldwide. Their presence underscored the strong international recognition of Africa’s vast potential in developing new civil aviation and the low-altitude economy.

Lianzhi Zhao, Deputy General Manager of CRBC, stated, “CRBC will leverage its extensive overseas network to strengthen cooperation with EHang in the low-altitude economy sector. By drawing on our expertise and resources in infrastructure development, we aim to explore innovative models for international certification of autonomous aviation and the expansion of application scenarios, while tapping into broader global markets. Our joint presence at Aviation Africa 2025 and the successful first flight of the EH216-S in Africa mark an important milestone in this partnership. We look forward to working with EHang to bring China’s new technologies and products to the African market, enabling local communities to benefit from the achievements of China’s rapid development.”

Zhao Wang, Chief Operating Officer of EHang, said, “This partnership marks a pivotal step as we expand internationally and drive the global low-altitude economy forward. CRBC’s strong international presence and engineering capabilities complement EHang’s leadership in autonomous aerial technology. By leveraging CRBC’s expertise and extensive resources in global infrastructure — including roads, ports, and airports — we will foster the development and application of integrated transportation networks and diverse low-altitude flight scenarios. At the same time, CRBC’s strong international business network and rich project experience will enable us to jointly advance the international certification of eVTOLs and related commercial operation standards. Together, we are committed to delivering high-quality, efficient pilotless aerial vehicle solutions to customers around the globe and contributing meaningfully to the future of Urban Air Mobility.”

About EHang
EHang Holdings Limited (Nasdaq: EH) is the world’s leading urban air mobility (“UAM”) technology platform company. Our mission is to make safe, autonomous, and eco-friendly air mobility accessible to everyone. EHang offers unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) systems and solutions to customers across a range of industries, including air mobility (such as passenger transportation and logistics), smart city management, and aerial media services. The EH216-S is the world’s first pilotless, human-carrying electric vertical takeoff and landing (“eVTOL”) aircraft to receive a type certificate (“TC”), production certificate (“PC”), and standard airworthiness certificate (“AC”) from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (“CAAC”). In 2025, the CAAC also issued the first batch of Air Operator Certificates (“OC”) for civil, human-carrying pilotless aerial vehicles to two operators of the EH216-S eVTOL aircraft. As the forerunner of cutting-edge UAV technologies and commercial solutions in the global UAM industry, EHang continues to explore the boundaries of the sky to bring the benefits of advanced flight technologies to everyday life in smart cities. To learn more, please visit www.ehang.com.

About China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC)
China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) is one of China’s earliest large-scale state-owned enterprises in international engineering contracting. CRBC undertakes projects in roads, bridges, ports, railways, airports, real estate, and industrial parks, while also engaging in investment, trade, and industrial operations.

With offices in over 70 countries worldwide, CRBC has completed landmark projects such as the Mombasa–Nairobi Railway in Kenya, the Karakoram Highway in Pakistan, the CICES–Tuba Expressway in Senegal, the Phnom Penh–Sihanoukville Expressway in Cambodia, the Zemun–Borča Bridge in Serbia, the Pelješac Bridge in Croatia, and the Maputo Bridge in Mozambique, earning multiple domestic and international awards. The “CRBC” brand is widely recognized in the global engineering contracting industry.

Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains statements that may constitute “forward-looking” statements pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “aims,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “likely to” and similar statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about management’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to those relating to certifications, our expectations regarding demand for, and market acceptance of, our products and solutions and the commercialization of UAM services, our relationships with strategic partners, and current litigation and potential litigation involving us. Management has based these forward-looking statements on its current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections. While they believe these expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections are reasonable, such forward-looking statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond management’s control. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause EHang’s actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.

Investor Contact: ir@ehang.com 
Media Contact: pr@ehang.com 

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/07cd120d-0710-4d75-9425-611bc29fb38c

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6d33b7ab-c5f6-4422-bfb6-79607db039ff

FAQ

What is the significance of EHang's partnership with China Road and Bridge Corporation?

The partnership allows EHang to leverage CRBC's presence in over 70 countries for promoting its pilotless aerial vehicles, developing applications, and building infrastructure for the low-altitude economy.

Where did EHang complete its first African flight demonstration of the EH216-S?

EHang completed its first African demonstration flight of the EH216-S in Kigali, Rwanda during Aviation Africa 2025, witnessed by Rwandan President Paul Kagame and representatives from over 50 countries.

How many countries has EHang now conducted flights in?

With the successful demonstration in Rwanda, EHang has now conducted flights in 21 countries, showcasing its expanding global presence.

What role will CRBC play in EHang's global expansion?

CRBC will act as an agent to promote EHang's products in overseas markets, provide infrastructure development expertise, and support international certification efforts for autonomous aviation.

What type of aircraft did EHang demonstrate in Rwanda?

EHang demonstrated the EH216-S, which is the world's first pilotless, human-carrying eVTOL aircraft to receive type certificate, production certificate, and standard airworthiness certificate from CAAC.