SHANGHAI, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Autocraft from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Chinese electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) maker Shanghai TCab Technology Co., Ltd. here on Wednesday on purchasing 350 E20 eVTOL aircraft worth 1 billion U.S. dollars.

This marks China's largest single intent order for eVTOLs to date.

The deal marks a significant step for TCab Tech, a startup founded in 2021, as it positions its E20 eVTOL aircraft for diversified commercial applications, including low-altitude tourism and urban air mobility, across the Middle East and North Africa.

Stemming from a partnership formed at last year's China International Import Expo, this strategic collaboration combines TCab Tech's expertise in eVTOL development and manufacturing with Autocraft's local strengths in operations and market access in the UAE.

The E20, TCab Tech's self-developed flagship model, is a five-seat tilt-rotor eVTOL with a 12-meter wingspan, a designed range of 200 kilometers, and a top speed of 320 kilometers per hour. Developed for intercity and urban use cases like tourism, commuting and patrol, the aircraft accommodates one pilot and four passengers.

Autocraft cited TCab Tech's technology maturity and safety focus as key reasons for the partnership, which TCab Tech called a "key breakthrough" for its overseas expansion.

"The global market is casting a strong vote of confidence in China's indigenous aviation technology," said TCab Tech founder and CEO Yon Wui NG, also former chief engineer of Airbus China. The Shanghai-based eVTOL pioneer specializes in tilt-rotor passenger aircraft, with overseas subsidiaries in Singapore and Malaysia.

TCab Tech's technical team and representatives from the UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority held technical discussions during the MoU signing ceremony to explore pathways for airworthiness certification, as well as operational regulations and regulatory coordination mechanisms for the E20 eVTOL.

Autocraft has been continually seeking international partners with forward-looking technology and strong delivery capabilities, according to Tareq Alahmed, vice president of the Abu Dhabi-headquartered company, which is a subsidiary of UAE's leading tech company Kintsugi and a pioneer in future air mobility.

The first batch of orders is scheduled for delivery after the airworthiness certificate is obtained from the Civil Aviation Administration of China.