CATL said it passed a key safety test for an aviation battery intended for passenger electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. In a test that intentionally triggered abnormalities in two adjacent cells, thermal runaway did not spread to other cells, it said. CATL said the full process was observed by a representative designated by the Civil Aviation Administration of China. The company said it has completed preparations for mass production and named Autoflight as the first application target.

Pouch-type batteries are drawing renewed interest in defense and robotics as battery companies expand beyond slowing EV demand into sectors such as energy storage. The format offers high energy density and design flexibility but has faced concerns about rapid heat transfer between cells during thermal runaway. With all-solid-state solutions still years away, competition is shifting to external safety materials such as thermal barriers. Demand is also emerging from submarines and robots, though high material costs remain a hurdle for mass adoption.