Ehang Holdings (EH) Risk Factors

The National People’s Congress approved the PRC Foreign Investment Law, or the Foreign Investment Law, on March 15, 2019 and the State Council approved the Regulation on Implementing the Foreign Investment Law, or the Implementation Regulations on December 12, 2019, effective from January 1, 2020, to replace prior laws regulating foreign investment in China, namely, the Sino-foreign Equity Joint Venture Enterprise Law, the Sino-foreign Cooperative Joint Venture Enterprise Law and the Wholly Foreign-invested Enterprise Law, together with their implementation rules and ancillary regulations. The Foreign Investment Law embodies an expected PRC regulatory trend to rationalize its foreign investment regulatory regime in line with prevailing international practice and the legislative efforts to unify the corporate legal requirements for both foreign and domestic investments. However, since the Foreign Investment Law and the Implementation Regulations are relatively new, uncertainties still exist in relation to its interpretation and implementation. For instance, under the Foreign Investment Law, “foreign investment” refers to the investment activities directly or indirectly conducted by foreign individuals, enterprises or other entities in China. Though it does not explicitly classify contractual arrangements as a form of foreign investment, there is no assurance that foreign investment via contractual arrangement would not be interpreted as a type of indirect foreign investment activities under the definition in the future. In addition, the definition contains a catch-all provision which includes investments made by foreign investors through means stipulated in laws or administrative regulations or other methods prescribed by the State Council. Therefore, it still leaves leeway for future laws, administrative regulations or provisions promulgated by the State Council to provide for contractual arrangements as a form of foreign investment. In any of these cases, it will be uncertain whether our contractual arrangements will be deemed to be in violation of the market access requirements for foreign investment under the PRC laws and regulations. Furthermore, if future laws, administrative regulations or provisions prescribed by the State Council mandate further actions to be taken by companies with respect to existing contractual arrangements, we may face substantial uncertainties as to whether we can complete such actions in a timely manner, or at all. Failure to take timely and appropriate measures to cope with any of these or similar regulatory compliance challenges could materially and adversely affect our current corporate structure, corporate governance and business operations. The approval, filing or other requirements of the China Securities Regulatory Commission or other PRC government authorities may be required under PRC law in connection with our future issuance of securities overseas. The Regulations on Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors, or the M&A Rules, purport to require offshore special purpose vehicles that are controlled by PRC companies or individuals and that have been formed for the purpose of seeking a public listing on an overseas stock exchange through acquisitions of PRC domestic companies or assets to obtain approval from the CSRC prior to publicly listing their securities on an overseas stock exchange. The interpretation and application of the regulations remain unclear. If CSRC’s approval under the M&A Rules is required, it is uncertain whether it would be possible for us to obtain the approval, and any failure to obtain or delay in obtaining CSRC approval for our future issuance of securities overseas would subject us to sanctions imposed by the CSRC and other PRC regulatory agencies. Furthermore, the recently issued Opinions on Strictly Cracking Down on Illegal Securities Activities emphasized the need to strengthen the administration over “illegal securities activities” and the supervision on overseas listings by China-based companies, and proposed to take effective measures, such as promoting the construction of relevant regulatory systems to deal with the risks and incidents faced by China-based overseas-listed companies, although such opinions did not specify the definition of “illegal securities activities.” On December 24, 2021, the CSRC published the draft Administrative Provisions of the State Council on the Overseas Issuance and Listing of Securities by Domestic Companies (Draft for Comments), or the Draft Overseas Listing Regulations, and the draft Measures for the Overseas Issuance and Listing of Securities Record-filings by Domestic Companies (Draft for Comments), or the Draft Overseas Listing Measures, for public comments. These drafts stipulate that PRC domestic companies that seek to offer and list securities in overseas markets directly or indirectly shall complete the filing procedures with and report relevant information to the CSRC. Pursuant to these drafts, if the issuer meets the following conditions, its offering and listing will be deemed as an “indirect overseas offering and listing by a PRC domestic company” and is therefore subject to the filing requirement: (i) the revenues, profits, total assets or net assets of the Chinese operating entities in the most recent financial year accounts for more than 50% of the corresponding data in the issuer’s audited consolidated financial statements for the same period; (ii) the majority of senior management in charge of business operation are Chinese citizens or have domicile in PRC, and its principal place of business is located in PRC or main business activities are conducted in PRC. In addition, these drafts prescribe that the domestic enterprises should submit filing documents to the CSRC within three business days after the submission of the application for overseas initial public offering, and after completing the filing procedures for an overseas initial public offering and listing, for the purposes of implementing and strengthening the CSRC’s supervision, the issuer will need to comply with continuous filing and reporting requirements after such offering and listing, among others, including the following: (i) reporting material events which arose prior to such offering and listing, (ii) filing for follow-on offerings after the initial offering and listing, (iii) filing for transactions in which the issuer issues securities for acquiring assets, and (iv) reporting material events after the initial offering and listing. However, the Draft Overseas Listing Regulations and the Draft Overseas Listing Measures were released for public comment only, there remains substantial uncertainty, including but not limited to its final content, adoption timeline, effective date or relevant implementation rules. As of the date of this annual report, we cannot predict the impact of these regulations on maintain the listing status of our ADSs and/or other securities, or any of our future offerings of securities overseas in a foreign country. On December 27, 2021, the NDRC and the MOFCOM, jointly issued the Special Administrative Measures for Entry of Foreign Investment (Negative List) (2021 Version), or the Negative List, which became effective and replaced the previous version on January 1, 2022. Pursuant to Article 6 of the Negative List, if a PRC company, which engages in any business where foreign investment is prohibited under the Negative List, or prohibited businesses, seeks an overseas offering or listing, it must obtain the approval from competent governmental authorities. Additionally, foreign investors in such PRC company must not take part in the company’s operation or management, and their shareholding ratio should be subject to regulations relating to the management of PRC securities investments by foreign investors. According to a set of Q&A published on the NDRC’s official website, a NDRC official indicated that after a PRC company submits its application for overseas listing to the CSRC and where matters relating to prohibited businesses under the Negative List are implicated, the CSRC will consult the regulatory authorities having jurisdiction over the relevant industries and fields. If the CSRC or other relevant PRC regulatory agencies subsequently determine that prior approval is required for any of our future offerings of securities overseas or to maintain the listing status of our ADSs, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to obtain such approval in a timely manner, or at all. The CSRC or other PRC regulatory agencies also may take actions requiring us, or making it advisable for us, not to proceed with such offering or maintain the listing status of our ADSs. If we proceed with any of such offering or maintain the listing status of our ADSs without obtaining these regulatory agencies’ approval to the extent it is required, or if we are unable to comply with any new approval requirements which might be adopted for offerings that we have completed prior to the publication of the above-referenced opinions, we may face regulatory actions or other sanctions from these regulatory agencies. These regulatory agencies may impose fines and penalties on our operations in China, limit our ability to pay dividends outside of China, limit our operating privileges in China, delay or restrict the repatriation of the proceeds from offering of securities overseas into China or take other actions that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects, as well as the trading price of the ADSs. Furthermore, if there are any other approvals, filings and/or other administration procedures to be obtained from or completed with the CSRC or other PRC regulatory agencies as required by any new laws and regulations for any of our future proposed offering of securities overseas or the listing of the ADSs, we cannot assure you that we can obtain the required approval or complete the required filings or other regulatory procedures in a timely manner, or at all. Any failure to obtain the relevant approvals or complete the filings and other relevant regulatory procedures may subject us to regulatory actions or other sanctions from the CSRC or other PRC regulatory agencies, which may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

We conduct our business in China primarily through our PRC subsidiaries and the VIE. Our operations in China are governed by PRC laws and regulations. The PRC government’s significant oversight over our business operation could result in a material adverse change in our operations and the value of our ADSs. The Chinese government may intervene or influence our operations at any time, or may exert more control over offerings conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in China-based issuers, which could result in a material change in our operations and/or the value of our ADSs. Any actions by the Chinese government to exert more oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in China-based issuers could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors and cause the value of such securities to significantly decline or become worthless. There are substantial uncertainties regarding the interpretation and application of PRC laws and regulations, including, but not limited to, the laws and regulations governing our and the VIE’s business, or the enforcement and performance of our contractual arrangements with the VIE. These laws and regulations may be subject to change, the enforcement of laws and regulations in China could be uncertain and the of rules and policies in China may change quickly with little advance notice, which could result in a material adverse change in our operations and the value of our ADSs. New laws and regulations that affect existing and proposed future businesses may also be applied retroactively. Due to the uncertainty and complexity of the regulatory environment, we cannot assure you that we and the VIE would always be in full compliance with applicable laws and regulations, the violation of which may have adverse effect on our and the VIE’s business and our reputation. Also, the PRC government has recently indicated an intent to exert more oversight over offerings that are conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in China-based issuers. Any such action could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors. In addition, implementation of industry-wide regulations directly targeting our operations could cause our securities to significantly decline in value or become worthless. Therefore, investors of our company face potential uncertainty from actions taken by the PRC government affecting our business.

We are an offshore holding company conducting our operations in China through our PRC subsidiaries, VIE and its subsidiaries. We may make loans to our PRC subsidiaries, VIE and its subsidiaries, or we may make additional capital contributions to our PRC subsidiaries, or we may establish new PRC subsidiaries and make capital contributions to these new PRC subsidiaries, or we may acquire offshore entities with business operations in China in an offshore transaction. Most of these activities are subject to PRC regulations and approvals. For example, loans by us to our wholly owned PRC subsidiaries to finance their activities cannot exceed statutory limits and must be registered with the local counterpart of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, or SAFE. If we decide to finance our wholly owned PRC subsidiaries by means of capital contributions, these capital contributions are subject to the requirement of making necessary filings in the Foreign Investment Comprehensive Management Information System and registration with other governmental authorities in China. Due to the restrictions imposed on loans in foreign currencies extended to any PRC domestic companies, we are not likely to make such loans to the VIE, which is a PRC domestic company. SAFE promulgated Circular on the Reforming of the Management Method of the Settlement of Foreign Currency Capital of Foreign-invested Enterprises, or SAFE Circular 19, effective on June 1, 2015, in replacement of the Circular on the Relevant Issues Concerning the Launch of Reforming Trial of the Administration Model of the Settlement of Foreign Currency Capital of Foreign-Invested Enterprises, the Notice From the State Administration of Foreign Exchange on Relevant Issues Concerning Strengthening the Administration of Foreign Exchange Businesses, and the Circular on Further Clarification and Regulation of the Issues Concerning the Administration of Certain Capital Account Foreign Exchange Businesses. According to SAFE Circular 19, the flow and use of the RMB capital converted from foreign currency-denominated registered capital of a foreign-invested company is regulated such that RMB capital may not be used for the issuance of RMB entrusted loans, the repayment of inter-enterprise loans or the repayment of banks loans that have been transferred to a third party. Although SAFE Circular 19 allows RMB capital converted from foreign currency-denominated registered capital of a foreign-invested enterprise to be used for equity investments within China, it also reiterates the principle that RMB capital converted from the foreign currency-denominated capital of a foreign-invested company may not be directly or indirectly used for purposes beyond its business scope. Thus, it is unclear whether SAFE will permit such capital to be used for equity investments in China in actual practice. SAFE promulgated the Notice of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange on Reforming and Standardizing the Foreign Exchange Settlement Management Policy of Capital Account, or SAFE Circular 16, effective on June 9, 2016, which reiterates some of the rules set forth in SAFE Circular 19, but changes the prohibition against using RMB capital converted from foreign currency-denominated registered capital of a foreign-invested company to issue RMB entrusted loans to a prohibition against using such capital to issue loans to non-associated enterprises. Violations of SAFE Circular 19 and SAFE Circular 16 could result in administrative penalties. SAFE Circular 19 and SAFE Circular 16 may significantly limit our ability to transfer any foreign currency we hold, including the net proceeds from our initial public offering, to our PRC subsidiaries, which may adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business in China. In light of the various requirements imposed by PRC regulations on loans to and direct investment in PRC entities by offshore holding companies, we cannot assure you that we will be able to complete the necessary government registrations or obtain the necessary government approvals on a timely basis, if at all, with respect to future loans by us to our PRC subsidiaries or with respect to future capital contributions by us to our PRC subsidiary. If we fail to complete such registrations or obtain such approvals, our ability to use the proceeds we received from our initial public offering and to capitalize or otherwise fund our PRC operations may be negatively affected, which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business.

We are subject to anti-corruption, anti-bribery, anti-money laundering, financial and economic sanctions and similar laws and regulations in various jurisdictions in which we conduct our business or sell our products, including the PRC anti-corruption laws and regulations, the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, or the FCPA, the U.K. Bribery Act 2010, and other anti-corruption laws and regulations. The FCPA and the U.K. Bribery Act 2010 prohibit us and our officers, directors, employees and business partners acting on our behalf, including agents, from corruptly offering, promising, authorizing or providing anything of value to a “foreign official” for the purposes of influencing official decisions or obtaining or retaining business or otherwise obtaining favorable treatment. The FCPA also requires companies to make and keep books, records and accounts that accurately reflect transactions and dispositions of assets and to maintain a system of adequate internal accounting controls. The U.K. Bribery Act 2010 also prohibits non-governmental “commercial” bribery and soliciting or accepting bribes. The PRC anti-corruption laws and regulations prohibit bribery to government agencies, state or government owned or controlled enterprises or entities, to government officials or officials that work for state or government owned enterprises or entities, as well as bribery to non-government entities or individuals. There is uncertainty in connection with the implementation of PRC anti-corruption laws. A violation of these laws or regulations could adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and reputation. We have direct or indirect interactions with officials and employees of government agencies and state-owned affiliated entities in the ordinary course of business. We have also entered into joint ventures and/or other business partnerships with government agencies and state-owned or affiliated entities. These interactions subject us to an increased level of compliance-related concerns. We are in the process of implementing policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by us and our directors, officers, employees, representatives, consultants, agents and business partners with applicable anti-corruption, anti-bribery, anti-money laundering, financial and economic sanctions and similar laws and regulations. However, our policies and procedures may not be sufficient, and our directors, officers, employees, representatives, consultants, agents, and business partners could engage in improper conduct for which we may be held responsible. Non-compliance with anti-corruption, anti-bribery, anti-money laundering or financial and economic sanctions laws could subject us to whistleblower complaints, adverse media coverage, investigations, and severe administrative, civil and criminal sanctions, collateral consequences, remedial measures and legal expenses, all of which could materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and reputation. In addition, changes in economic sanctions laws in the future could adversely impact our business and investments in our shares.

The Regulations on Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Companies by Foreign Investors, or the M&A Rules, adopted by six PRC regulatory agencies in August 2006 and amended in September 2009, and some other regulations and rules concerning mergers and acquisitions established additional procedures and requirements that could make merger and acquisition activities by foreign investors more time consuming and complex, including requirements in some instances that shall obtained an approval from the MOFCOM in advance of any change-of-control transaction in which a foreign investor takes control of a PRC domestic enterprise. Moreover, the Anti-Monopoly Law requires that the MOFCOM shall be notified in advance of any concentration of undertaking if certain thresholds are triggered. In addition, the security review rules issued by the MOFCOM that became effective in September 2011 specify that mergers and acquisitions by foreign investors that raise “national defense and security” concerns and mergers and acquisitions through which foreign investors may acquire de facto control over domestic enterprises that raise “national security” concerns are subject to strict review by the MOFCOM, and the rules prohibit any activities attempting to bypass a security review, including by structuring the transaction through a proxy or contractual control arrangement. In the future, we may grow our business by acquiring complementary businesses. Complying with the requirements of the above-mentioned regulations and other relevant rules to complete such transactions could be time consuming, and any required approval processes, including obtaining approval from the MOFCOM or its local counterparts may delay or inhibit our ability to complete such transactions, which could affect our ability to expand our business or maintain our market share.

Pursuant to SAFE Circular 37, PRC residents who participate in share incentive plans in overseas non-publicly-listed companies may submit applications to SAFE or its local branches for the foreign exchange registration with respect to offshore special purpose companies. In the meantime, our directors, executive officers and other employees who are PRC citizens or who are non-PRC residents residing in the PRC for a continuous period of not less than one year, and who have been granted incentive share awards by us, may follow the Notices on Issues Concerning the Foreign Exchange Administration for Domestic Individuals Participating in Stock Incentive Plan of Overseas Publicly-Listed Company, promulgated by the SAFE in 2012. Pursuant to the 2012 SAFE notices, PRC citizens and non-PRC citizens who reside in China for a continuous period of not less than one year who participate in any stock incentive plan of an overseas publicly listed company, are required to register with SAFE through a domestic qualified agent, which could be the PRC subsidiary of such overseas listed company, and complete certain other procedures. In addition, an overseas entrusted institution must be retained to handle matters in connection with the exercise or sale of stock options and the purchase or sale of shares and interests. We and our executive officers and other employees who are PRC citizens or who reside in the PRC for a continuous period of not less than one year and who have been granted restricted share units are subject to these regulations as our company has become an overseas listed company. Failure to complete the SAFE registrations may subject us to fines, and legal sanctions and may also limit our ability to contribute additional capital into our PRC subsidiaries and limit the ability of our PRC subsidiaries to distribute dividends to us. We also face regulatory uncertainties that could restrict our abilities to adopt additional incentive plans for our directors, executive officers and employees under PRC laws. The State Administration of Taxation, or SAT, has issued certain circulars concerning employee share options and restricted shares. If our employees fail to pay or we fail to withhold their income taxes according to relevant laws and regulations, we may face sanctions imposed by the tax authorities or other PRC governmental authorities.

The SAFE promulgated the Circular on Relevant Issues Relating to Domestic Resident’s Investment and Financing and Round-Trip Investment through Special Purpose Vehicles, or SAFE Circular 37, in July 2014 that requires PRC residents or entities to register with SAFE or its local branch in connection with their establishment or control of an offshore entity established for the purpose of overseas investment or financing with such PRC residents or entities’ legally owned assets or equity interests in domestic enterprises or offshore assets or interests. On February 13, 2015, SAFE issued SAFE Circular No. 13, which took effect on June 1, 2015, pursuant to which, the power to accept SAFE registration was delegated from local SAFE to local qualified banks where the assets or interest in the domestic entity was located. SAFE Circular 37 is issued to replace the Notice on Relevant Issues Concerning Foreign Exchange Administration for PRC Residents Engaging in Financing and Roundtrip Investments via Overseas Special Purpose Vehicles, or SAFE Circular 75. If our shareholders who are PRC residents or entities do not complete their registration pursuant to SAFE Circular 37 as required, our PRC subsidiaries may be prohibited from distributing their profits and proceeds from any reduction in capital, share transfer or liquidation to us, and we may be restricted in our ability to contribute additional capital to our PRC subsidiaries. Moreover, failure to comply with the SAFE registration described above could result in liability under PRC laws for evasion of applicable foreign exchange restrictions. We have used our best efforts to notify PRC residents or entities who directly or indirectly hold shares in our Cayman Islands holding company and who are known to us as being PRC residents to complete the foreign exchange registrations. However, we may not be informed of the identities of all the PRC residents or entities holding direct or indirect interest in our company, nor can we compel our beneficial owners to comply with SAFE registration requirements. We cannot assure you that all other shareholders or beneficial owners of ours who are PRC residents or entities have complied with, and will in the future make, obtain or update any applicable registrations or approvals required by, SAFE regulations. Failure by such shareholders or beneficial owners to comply with SAFE regulations, or failure by us to amend the foreign exchange registrations of our PRC subsidiaries, could subject us to fines or legal sanctions, restrict our overseas or cross-border investment activities, limit the ability of our PRC subsidiaries to make distributions or pay dividends to us or affect our ownership structure, which could adversely affect our business and prospects.

The PRC government imposes licensing and permit requirements for companies in the technology industry. These laws, regulations and even such announcements are relatively new and evolving, and their interpretation and enforcement involve significant uncertainties. As a result, in certain circumstances it may be difficult to determine what actions or omissions may be deemed to be in violation of applicable laws and regulations. In addition, our mobile application, EHang Pro is regulated by the Administrative Provisions on Mobile Internet Applications Information Services, or the App Provisions, promulgated by the Cyberspace Administration of China, or the CAC, effective on August 1, 2016. According to the App Provisions, the providers of mobile applications shall not create, copy, publish or distribute information and content that is prohibited by laws and regulations. However, we cannot assure that all the information or content displayed on, retrieved from or linked to our mobile applications complies with the requirements of the App Provisions at all times. If our mobile applications were found to be violating the App Provisions, we may be subject to administrative penalties, including warnings, service suspensions or removal of our mobile applications from relevant mobile application stores, which may materially and adversely affect our business and operating results. The interpretation and application of existing PRC laws, regulations and policies and possible new laws, regulations or policies relating to the technology industry, particularly the policies relating to new energy vehicles, have created substantial uncertainties regarding the legality of existing and future foreign investments in, and the businesses and activities of, internet businesses in China, including our business. We cannot assure you that we have obtained all the permits or licenses required for conducting our business in China or will be able to maintain or renew our existing licenses or obtain new ones.

The PRC legal system is a civil law system based on written statutes. Unlike the common law system, prior court decisions may be cited for reference but have limited precedential value in China. Our PRC legal system is evolving rapidly, but its current slate of laws may not be sufficient to cover all aspects of the economic activities in China, including such activities that relate to or have an impact on our business. Implementation and interpretations of laws, regulations and rules are not always undertaken in a uniform matter and enforcement of these laws, regulations and rules involves uncertainties. From time to time, we, the VIE or its subsidiaries may have to resort to administrative and court proceedings to enforce our legal rights. However, since PRC administrative and court authorities have significant discretion in interpreting and implementing statutory and contractual terms, it may be more difficult to evaluate the outcome of administrative and court proceedings and the level of protection we, the VIE or its subsidiaries enjoy than in more developed legal systems. Furthermore, the PRC legal system is based in part on government policies and internal rules (some of which are not published in a timely manner or at all) that may have a retroactive effect. As a result, we, the VIE or its subsidiaries may not always be aware of any potential violation of these policies and rules until sometime after the violation. Such uncertainties, including unpredictability towards the scope and effect of our, the VIE or its subsidiaries’ contractual, property (including intellectual property) and procedural rights, and any failure to respond to changes in the regulatory environment in China could materially and adversely affect our business and impede our ability to continue our operations.

On March 15, 2019, the National People’s Congress promulgated the Foreign Investment Law, which took effect on January 1, 2020 and replaced the trio of existing laws regulating foreign investment in China, namely, the PRC Equity Joint Venture Law, the PRC Cooperative Joint Venture Law and the Wholly Foreign-owned Enterprise Law, together with their implementation rules and ancillary regulations. Uncertainties still exist in relation to the interpretation and implementation of the Foreign Investment Law. The Foreign Investment Law does not explicitly classify whether variable interest entities that are controlled via contractual arrangements would be deemed as foreign invested enterprises if they are ultimately “controlled” by foreign investors. However, it has a catch-all provision under definition of “foreign investment” to include investments made by foreign investors in China through means stipulated by laws or administrative regulations or other methods prescribed by the State Council. Therefore, it still leaves leeway for future laws, administrative regulations or provisions to provide for contractual arrangements as a form of foreign investment. The Foreign Investment Law grants foreign invested entities the same treatment as PRC domestic entities, except for those foreign invested entities that operate in industries deemed to be either “restricted” or “prohibited” in the “negative list” to be published. The Foreign Investment Law provides that only foreign invested entities operating in foreign restricted or prohibited industries will require entry clearance and other approvals that are not required by PRC domestic entities or foreign invested entities operating in other industries. Pursuant to the latest version of the “negative list,” namely, the Special Management Measures (Negative List) for the Access of Foreign Investment (2021), which became effective on January 1, 2022, our principal business does not fall into the “restricted” or “prohibited” categories. However, we cannot assure you that the “negative list” will not be updated in the future in any way adverse to our business. In the event that the VIE and its subsidiaries through which we operate our business are not treated as domestic investment and our operations carried out through such VIE and its subsidiaries are classified in the “restricted” or “prohibited” industry in the “negative list” under the Foreign Investment Law, such contractual arrangements may be deemed as invalid and illegal, and we may be required to unwind such contractual arrangements and/or dispose of such business. Furthermore, if future laws, administrative regulations or provisions mandate further actions to be taken by companies with respect to existing contractual arrangements, we may face substantial uncertainties as to whether we can complete such actions in a timely manner, or at all. In addition, the Foreign Investment Law provides that existing foreign invested enterprises established according to the existing laws regulating foreign investment may maintain their structure and corporate governance within five years after the implementation of the Foreign Investment Law, which means that we may be required to adjust the structure and corporate governance of certain of our PRC entities then. Failure to take timely and appropriate measures to cope with any of these or similar regulatory compliance challenges could materially and adversely affect our current corporate structure, corporate governance and business operations.

We are a Cayman Islands company and our PRC subsidiaries are currently considered to be foreign-invested enterprises. In December 2014, we incorporated EHang in the Cayman Islands as our offshore holding company to facilitate financing and offshore listing. In the same month, we established Ehfly Technology Limited, or Ehfly Technology, in Hong Kong, which subsequently became our wholly-owned subsidiary. In October 2015, we established EHang Intelligent, our WFOE, wholly owned by Ehfly Technology. In January 2016, we obtained control over EHang GZ through our WFOE by entering into a series of contractual arrangements with EHang GZ, the VIE, and its shareholders, which enable us to (i) exercise effective control over EHang GZ, (ii) receive economic benefits from the VIE that potentially could be significant to the VIE, and (iii) have an exclusive option to purchase all or part of the equity interests and assets in EHang GZ, when and to the extent permitted by PRC laws. As a result of these contractual arrangements, we have control over and are the primary beneficiary of the VIE and hence consolidate their financial results under U.S. GAAP. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—C. Organizational Structure” for further details. Our PRC legal counsel, AllBright Law Offices, based on its understanding of the relevant laws and regulations, is of the opinion that (i) the ownership structure of our WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries are in compliance with applicable PRC laws or regulations, and (ii) such contractual arrangements constitute valid, legal and binding obligations enforceable against each party of such agreements in accordance with the terms of each agreement from their respective effective dates to the date of this annual report, and will not result in any violation of PRC laws or regulations currently in effect. However, our PRC legal counsel has also advised us that there are substantial uncertainties regarding the interpretation and application of current and future PRC laws, regulations and rules. Accordingly, the PRC regulatory authorities may take a view that is contrary to the opinion of our PRC legal counsel. If we or the VIE are found to be in violation of any existing or future PRC laws or regulations, or fail to obtain or maintain any of the required permits or approvals, the relevant PRC regulatory authorities would have broad discretion to take action in dealing with such violations or failures, including: • revoking the business licenses and/or operating licenses of such entities; • shutting down our servers or blocking our website, or discontinuing or placing restrictions or onerous conditions on our operation through any transactions between our WFOE and the VIE; • imposing fines, confiscating the income from our WFOE or the VIE, or imposing other requirements with which we or the VIE may not be able to comply; • requiring us to restructure our ownership structure or operations, including terminating the contractual arrangements with the VIE and deregistering the equity pledges of the VIE, which in turn would affect our ability to consolidate, derive economic interests from, or exert effective control over the VIE; • restricting or prohibiting our use of the proceeds of our initial public offering to finance our business and operations in China, and taking other regulatory or enforcement actions that could be harmful to our business; • confiscating any of our income deemed to be obtained through illegal operations; • discontinuing or placing restrictions or onerous conditions on our operations; • imposing additional conditions or requirements with which we may not be able to comply; or • taking other regulatory or enforcement actions against us that could be harmful to our business. The imposition of any of these penalties would result in a material and adverse effect on our ability to conduct our business. In addition, it is unclear what impact the PRC government actions would have on us and on our ability to consolidate the financial results of the VIE in our consolidated financial statements, if the PRC government authorities were to find our legal structure and contractual arrangements to be in violation of PRC laws and regulations. If the imposition of any of these government actions causes us to lose our right to direct the activities of the VIE or our right to receive substantially all the economic benefits and residual returns from the VIE and we are not able to restructure our ownership structure and operations in a satisfactory manner, we would no longer be able to exert effective control over or consolidate the financial results of the VIE in our consolidated financial statements. Either of these results, or any other significant penalties that might be imposed on us in this event, would have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

We may be exposed to significant product liability claims if our AAVs do not perform as expected or malfunction. Any defects, errors, or failures in our products or the misuse of our AAVs, operating systems and infrastructure could also result in injury, death or property damage. Our risks in this area are particularly pronounced given we have limited field experience in the operation of our AAVs. A successful product liability claim against us could require us to pay a substantial monetary award. Moreover, a product liability claim could generate substantial negative publicity about our AAVs and business and inhibit or prevent commercialization of our current and future AAV models. Our insurance coverage might not be sufficient to cover all potential product liability claims. In addition, the same level of insurance coverage may not be available in the future at economical prices, or at all. Even if we are fully insured as it relates to a claim, the claim could nevertheless diminish our brand and divert management’s attention and resources, which could have a negative impact on our business, financial condition and result of operations. We generally provide standard warranties on our AAVs. The term of a warranty is between six months to three years, depending on the product line and the specific part or component. The occurrence of any material defects in our AAVs could make us liable for damages and warranty claims. In addition, we could incur significant costs to correct any defects or other problems, including costs related to product recalls. Warranty claims may also lead to litigation. Any negative publicity related to the perceived quality of our AAVs could affect our brand image, decrease retailer, distributor and customer demand, and adversely affect our operating results and financial condition.

Starting in 2011 “big four” PRC-based accounting firms, including our independent registered public accounting firm, were affected by a conflict between U.S. and Chinese law. Specifically, for certain U.S.-listed companies operating and audited in mainland China, the SEC and the PCAOB sought to obtain from the Chinese firms access to their audit work papers and related documents. The firms were, however, advised and directed that under Chinese law, they could not respond directly to the U.S. regulators on those requests, and that requests by foreign regulators for access to such papers in China had to be channeled through the CSRC. In late 2012, this impasse led the SEC to commence administrative proceedings under Rule 102(e) of its Rules of Practice and also under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 against the Chinese accounting firms, including our independent registered public accounting firm. A first instance trial of the proceedings in July 2013 in the SEC’s internal administrative court resulted in an adverse judgment against the firms. The administrative law judge proposed penalties on the firms including a temporary suspension of their right to practice before the SEC, although that proposed penalty did not take effect pending review by the Commissioners of the SEC. On February 6, 2015, before a review by the Commissioner had taken place, the firms reached a settlement with the SEC. Under the settlement, the SEC accepted that future requests by the SEC for the production of documents will normally be made to the CSRC. The firms were to receive matching Section 106 requests, and were required to abide by a detailed set of procedures with respect to such requests, which in substance require them to facilitate production via the CSRC. If they failed to meet specified criteria, the SEC retained authority to impose a variety of additional remedial measures on the firms depending on the nature of the failure. Under the terms of the settlement, the underlying proceeding against the four China-based accounting firms was deemed dismissed with prejudice four years after entry of the settlement. The four-year mark occurred on February 6, 2019. While we cannot predict if the SEC will further challenge the four China-based accounting firms’ compliance with U.S. law in connection with U.S. regulatory requests for audit work papers or if the results of such a challenge would result in the SEC imposing penalties such as suspensions. If additional remedial measures are imposed on the “big four” PRC-based accounting firms, including our independent registered public accounting firm, we could be unable to timely file future financial statements in compliance with the requirements of the Exchange Act. If our independent registered public accounting firm was denied, even temporarily, the ability to practice before the SEC and we were unable to timely find another registered public accounting firm to audit and issue an opinion on our financial statements, our financial statements could be determined not to be in compliance with the requirements of the Exchange Act. Such a determination could ultimately lead to the delisting of the ADSs from the Nasdaq Global Market or deregistration from the SEC, or both, which would substantially reduce or effectively terminate the trading of the ADSs in the United States.

Our independent registered public accounting firm that issues the audit report included in this annual report, as auditors of companies that are traded publicly in the United States and a firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), or the PCAOB, is subject to laws in the United States pursuant to which the PCAOB conducts regular inspections to assess its compliance with the applicable professional standards. Since our auditors are located in China, a jurisdiction where the PCAOB has been unable to conduct inspections without the approval of the Chinese authorities, our auditors are not currently inspected by the PCAOB. On December 7, 2018, the SEC and the PCAOB issued a joint statement highlighting continued challenges faced by the U.S. regulators in their oversight of financial statement audits of U.S.-listed companies with significant operations in China. On April 21, 2020, the SEC and the PCAOB issued another joint statement reiterating the greater risk that disclosures will be insufficient in many emerging markets, including China, compared with those made by U.S. domestic companies. In discussing the specific issues related to the greater risk, the statement again highlights the PCAOB’s inability to inspect audit work paper and practices of accounting firms in China, with respect to their audit work of U.S. reporting companies. These statements reflect a heightened interest in an issue that has vexed U.S. regulators in recent years. Inspections of other firms that the PCAOB has conducted outside China have identified deficiencies in those firms’ audit procedures and quality control procedures, which may be addressed as part of the inspection process to improve future audit quality. The lack of PCAOB inspections in China prevents the PCAOB from fully evaluating audits and quality control procedures of our independent registered public accounting firm. As a result, we and investors in our ordinary shares are deprived of the benefits of such PCAOB inspections. The inability of the PCAOB to conduct inspections of auditors in China makes it more difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of our independent registered public accounting firm’s audit procedures or quality control procedures as compared to auditors outside of China that are subject to the PCAOB inspections, which could cause investors and potential investors in our stock to lose confidence in our audit procedures and reported financial information and the quality of our financial statements. As part of our continued efforts to ensure accuracy and high quality of our financial reporting, our audit committee is fully aware of the lack of PCAOB inspection issue and periodically communicates with our independent auditor to oversee and evaluate the audit procedures and status.

A non-U.S. corporation, such as our company, will be a PFIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes for any taxable year if either (i) at least 75% of its gross income for such year is passive income or (ii) at least 50% of the value of its assets (based on an average of the quarterly values of the assets) during such year is attributable to assets that produce or are held for the production of passive income. A separate determination must be made after the close of each taxable year as to whether a non-U.S. corporation is a PFIC for that year. Although the law in this regard is unclear, we intend to treat the VIE and its subsidiaries as being owned by us for U.S. federal income tax purposes, not only because we exercise effective control over the operations of such entities but also because we are entitled to substantially all of their economic benefits and, as a result, we consolidate their results of operations in our consolidated financial statements. Assuming that we are treated as the owner of the VIE (and its subsidiaries) for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and based upon our current and expected income and assets, including goodwill and other unbooked intangibles, and the market value of our ADSs, we do not believe we were a PFIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes for the taxable year ended December 31, 2021. While we do not expect to become a PFIC, because the value of our assets for purposes of the asset test may be determined by reference to the market price of our ADSs, fluctuations in the market price of our ADSs may cause us to become a PFIC for the current or subsequent taxable years. In addition, the composition of our income and assets will also be affected by our business plans including how quickly we use our cash and other liquid assets. If we determine not to deploy significant amounts of cash for active purposes or if it were determined that we do not own the stock of the VIE for U.S. federal income tax purposes, our risk of being a PFIC may substantially increase. In light of the foregoing, there can be no assurance that we were not, or will not be, a PFIC for any taxable year. Our U.S. counsel expresses no opinion with respect to our PFIC status for any taxable year. If we are a PFIC for any taxable year during which a U.S. Holder (as defined in “Item 10. Additional Information—E. Taxation—U.S. Federal Income Taxation”) holds our ADS or a Class A ordinary share, certain adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences could apply to the U.S. Holder. See “Item 10. Additional Information—E. Taxation—U.S. Federal Income Taxation—Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules.”

Each of EHang Intelligent and EHang GZ is currently qualified as a high and new technology enterprise, or HNTE, and as such is eligible for a 15% preferential tax rate, which will expire in December 2023 and December 2022, respectively. The qualification of HNTE for EHang Egret has expired in November 2021. The discontinuation of any of the preferential income tax treatment that we currently enjoy could have a material and adverse effect on our result of operations and financial condition. We cannot assure you that we will be able to maintain or lower our current effective tax rate in the future. Our PRC subsidiaries have received various financial subsidies from PRC local government authorities. The financial subsidiaries result from discretionary incentives and policies adopted by PRC local government authorities. The discontinuation of such financial subsidies or imposition of any additional taxes could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

Under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law and its implementation rules, an enterprise established outside of the PRC with its “de facto management body” within the PRC is considered a “resident enterprise” and will be subject to PRC enterprise income tax on its global income at the rate of 25%. The implementation rules define the term “de facto management body” as the body that exercises full and substantial control and overall management over the business, production, personnel, accounts and properties of an enterprise. In 2009, the State Administration of Taxation issued a circular, known as SAT Circular 82, which provides certain specific criteria for determining whether the “de facto management body” of a PRC-controlled enterprise that is incorporated offshore is located in China. Although this circular only applies to offshore enterprises controlled by PRC enterprises or PRC enterprise groups, not those controlled by PRC individuals or foreigners, the criteria set forth in the circular may reflect the State Administration of Taxation’s general position on how the “de facto management body” text should be applied in determining the tax resident status of all offshore enterprises. According to SAT Circular 82, an offshore incorporated enterprise controlled by a PRC enterprise or a PRC enterprise group will be regarded as a PRC tax resident by virtue of having its “de facto management body” in China and will be subject to PRC enterprise income tax on its global income only if all of the following conditions are met: (i) the primary location of the day-to-day operational management is in the PRC; (ii) decisions relating to the enterprise’s financial and human resource matters are made or are subject to approval by organizations or personnel in the PRC; (iii) the enterprise’s primary assets, accounting books and records, company seals, and board and shareholder resolutions, are located or maintained in the PRC; and (iv) at least 50% of voting board members or senior executives habitually reside in the PRC. We believe none of our entities outside of China is a PRC resident enterprise for PRC tax purposes. However, the tax resident status of an enterprise is subject to determination by the PRC tax authorities and uncertainties remain with respect to the interpretation of the term “de facto management body.” If the PRC tax authorities determine that we are a PRC resident enterprise for enterprise income tax purposes, we will be subject to the enterprise income tax on our global income at the rate of 25% and we will be required to comply with PRC enterprise income tax reporting obligations. In addition, gains realized sale or other disposition of the ADSs or ordinary shares may be subject to PRC tax at a rate of 10% (in the case of non-PRC enterprise) or 20% in the case of non-PRC individuals (in each case, subject to the provisions of any applicable tax treaty), if such gains are deemed to be from PRC sources. These rates may be reduced by an applicable tax treaty, but it is unclear whether non-PRC shareholders of EHang Intelligent would be able to claim the benefits of any tax treaties between their country of tax residence and the PRC in the event that EHang Intelligent is treated as a PRC resident enterprise. Any such PRC tax may reduce the returns on your investment in the ADSs.

Through our AAVs, EHang Pro app and command-and-control systems, we log information about each AAV’s use, such as charge time, battery usage, mileage and location information, in order to aid us in vehicle diagnostics, repair and maintenance, as well as to help us customize and optimize the flying experience. Images and videos captured by cameras attached to our AAVs are stored on our servers, servers of third-party cloud storage providers or other servers designated by our customers. We, therefore, process, including but not limited to collect, store, process, use, transfer, provide, disclose and delete, personal data from our users in order to better understand our users and their needs for the purpose of our content feeds recommendation. Possession and use of our users’ flying behavior and data in conducting our business may subject us to legislative and regulatory oversight in China and other jurisdictions, such as the European Union and the United States. For example, in January 2018, the European Union promulgated the General Data Protection Regulation to further protect fundamental rights in privacy and personal information so that members of the general public have more control over their personal information. Regulations in relevant jurisdictions may require us to obtain user consent for the collection of personal information, restrict our use of such personal information and hinder our ability to expand our user base. In the event of a data breach or other unauthorized access to our user data, we may have obligations to notify users about the incident and we may need to provide some form of remedy for the individuals affected by the incident. Concerns or claims about our practices with regard to the processing of personal information or other privacy-related matters, even if unfounded, could damage our reputation and results of operations. In the PRC, governmental authorities have enacted a series of laws and regulations to enhance the protection of privacy and data. The PRC Constitution, the PRC Criminal Law, the Civil Code of the PRC, the Cybersecurity Law of the PRC and relevant regulations require network operators, which may include us, to ensure the security and stability of the services provided via network and protect individual privacy and the security of personal data in general by requiring the consent of internet users prior to the processing of their personal data. Under the Cybersecurity Law, the owners and administrators of networks and network service providers are subject to various personal information security protection obligations, including restrictions on the collection and use of personal information of users, and they are required to take steps to prevent personal data from being divulged, stolen, or tampered with. Regulatory requirements regarding the protection of personal information are constantly evolving and can be subject to differing interpretations or significant changes, making the extent of our responsibilities in that regard uncertain. For example, on June 10, 2021, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, or SCNPC, promulgated the Data Security Law of the People’s Republic of China, or the Data Security Law, effective from September 1, 2021. The Data Security Law provides that data processing activities that affects or may affect national security shall be subject to a data security review procedure. On July 6, 2021, the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council jointly promulgated Opinions on Strictly Cracking Down on Illegal Securities Activities, which called for a heightened scrutiny over overseas-listed China-based companies of their compliance with the laws and regulations regarding data security, cross-border data flow and management of confidential information, and such laws and regulations are expected to undergo further changes, which may require increased information security responsibilities and stronger cross-border information management mechanism and process. We may need to adjust our business to comply with data security requirements and other laws and regulations from time to time. On August 20, 2021, the SCNPC promulgated the Personal Information Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China, or the Personal Information Protection Law, which integrates the scattered rules with respect to personal information rights and privacy protection and took effect on November 1, 2021. We may be required to make further adjustments to our business practices to comply with the personal information protection laws and regulations. On November 14, 2021, the CAC publicly solicited opinions the Administration Regulations on Cyber Data Security (Draft for Comments). According to the Draft Data Security Regulations, data processors shall, in accordance with relevant state provisions, stipulate that data processors processing personal information of more than one million users shall be subject to the various requirements that apply to important data processors, including but not limited to: (a) important data processors shall specify the person in charge of data security and establish a data security management organization; (b) important data processors shall file with competent authorities within 15 working days after the identification of important data; (c) important data processors shall develop a data security training program for its employees; (d) important data processors shall carry out annual data security assessment and file such report with competent authorities annually. Uncertainties exist with respect to its enactment timetable, final content, interpretation and implementation. We cannot assure you that relevant governmental authorities will not interpret the laws and regulations in ways that may negatively affect us. At this stage, we are unable to predict the possible consequences of these drafts, if any, and we are monitoring and assessing the rulemaking process closely. Any failure, or perceived failure to maintain the security of our user data or to comply with applicable PRC or foreign privacy, data security and personal information protection laws and obligations may result in civil or regulatory liability, including governmental or data protection authority enforcement actions and investigations, fines, penalties, enforcement orders requiring us to cease operating in a certain way, litigation, or adverse publicity, and may require us to expend significant resources in responding to and defending allegations and claims. On December 31, 2021, the CAC, together with other regulatory authorities, published Administrative Provisions on Algorithm Recommendation for Internet Information Services, or, Administrative Provisions on Algorithm Recommendation, effective on March 1, 2022. Pursuant to the Administrative Provisions on Algorithm Recommendation, users should be given an option to easily turn off algorithm recommendation services, and service providers shall, among others, establish and improve the management systems and technical measures for algorithm driven recommendation mechanism and regularly review, evaluate and verify the principle, models, data and application results of algorithms. The Company will closely monitor the regulatory development and adjust its business operation from time to time to comply with the regulations over algorithm. Pursuant to the National Security Law issued by SCNPC on July 1, 2015, the state shall establish a national security review and supervision system to review, among other things, foreign investment, key technologies, internet and information technology products and services, and other important activities that are likely to impact national security of China. On December 28, 2021, the CAC together with other regulatory authorities officially announced the Cybersecurity Review Measures, which is consistent with the Cybersecurity Review Measures (Revision Draft for Comment) announced by the CAC on July 10, 2021. Pursuant to the Cybersecurity Review Measures, the procurement of network products and services by critical information infrastructure operators and the data processing activities conducted by network platform operators which affects or may affect national security shall be subject to cybersecurity review. Network platform operators mastering personal information of more than one million users must apply to the Cybersecurity Review Office for cybersecurity review when abroad. On July 30, 2021, the State Council promulgated the Regulations on Security Protection of Critical Information Infrastructure, or the CIIO Regulations, which became effective on September 1, 2021. Pursuant to the CII Regulations, critical information infrastructure refers to any important network facilities or information systems of an important industry or field such as public communication and information service, energy, transport, water conservation, finance, public services, e-government affairs, science and technology industry for national defense and other industries and sectors that may seriously endanger national security, people’s livelihood and public interest in case of damage, function loss or data leakage. In addition, relevant administration departments of each critical industry and sector are responsible for formulating eligibility criteria and determining the critical information infrastructure in the respective industry or sector. The operators will be informed about the final determination as to whether they are categorized as critical information infrastructure operators, or CIIOs. As of the filing of this annual report on Form 20-F, no detailed rules or interpretations have been issued and we have not been informed as a CIIO by any governmental authorities. Furthermore, the exact scope of CIIOs, under the current regulatory regime remains unclear, and the PRC governmental authorities may have discretion in the interpretation and enforcement of these laws and regulations. Therefore, it is uncertain whether we would be deemed as a CIIO under PRC law. If we are identified as CIIO, we will be subject to stricter requirements on business operations and cybersecurity compliance, and we may need to follow cybersecurity review procedure and apply with Cybersecurity Review Office before making certain purchases of network products and services, and if a cybersecurity review is applicable, we may be required to suspend providing any existing or new services to our users, and we may experience other disruptions of our operations. In addition, the PRC regulatory authorities have recently taken steps to strengthen the regulations on data protection and conducted several rounds of relevant inspections. We have not been informed by the CAC of any further requirements of rectification. As laws and regulations in China on the protection of privacy and data are constantly evolving, complying with new laws and regulations could cause us to incur substantial costs or require us to change our business practices in a manner materially adverse to our business. Despite our efforts to comply with applicable laws, regulations and other obligations relating to privacy, data protection and information security, it is possible that our practices, offerings or platform could fail to meet all of the requirements imposed on us by such laws, regulations or obligations. Any failure on our part to comply with applicable laws or regulations or any other obligations relating to privacy, data protection or information security, or any compromise of security that results in unauthorized access, collection, transfer, use or release of personally identifiable information or other data, or the perception or allegation that any of the foregoing types of failure or compromise has occurred, could damage our reputation, discourage new and existing users from using our platform or result in investigations, fines, suspension of our app, or other penalties by government authorities and private claims or litigation, any of which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, the interpretation and application of the aforementioned laws and regulations are often uncertain and in flux. Our practice may become inconsistent with these laws and regulations. Our platform and internal systems depend on the ability of software and hardware developed and maintained internally and/or by third parties to store, retrieve, process and manage immense amounts of data, including personal information or other privacy-related matters. The software and hardware on which we rely may now or in the future contain, undetected programming errors, bugs, or vulnerabilities which may result in errors or compromise our ability to protect the data of our users and in turn adversely affect our business, financial condition and operation results. Any systems failure or compromise of security that results in the unauthorized access to or release of the data, photo or messaging history of our users could significantly limit the adoption of our services, as well as harm our reputation and brand, result in litigation against us, liquidation and other damages, regulatory investigations and penalties, and we could be subject to material liability. Additionally, we connect our platform with software development kit provided by third parties who may also process users’ data. The integrity of our user data also depends on their ability to secure and protect the data they process. The risk that these types of events could seriously harm our business is likely to increase as we expand the scope of services we offer and as we increase the size of our user base. We may also become subject to laws and regulations affecting data protection, data privacy and/or information security in other jurisdictions by virtue of having users who reside in these jurisdictions, even if we do not have a physical presence there. Many jurisdictions have in the past adopted, and may in the future adopt, new laws and regulations, or amendments to existing laws and regulations, affecting data protection, data privacy and/or information security, such as the General Data Protection Regulation, or the GDPR, adopted by the European Union that became fully effective on May 25, 2018. The interpretation and application of these laws or regulations are often uncertain and in flux. We cannot guarantee you that our practice is consistent with these laws and regulations and our practice may become inconsistent with these laws and regulations, if so, we could be subject to fines and orders requiring that we change our practices, which could have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations. Complying with new data laws and regulations could cause us to incur substantial costs or require us to change our business practices in a manner materially adverse to our business. If users allege that we have improperly used, released or disclosed their personal information, we could face legal claims and reputational damage. We may incur significant expenses to comply with privacy, consumer protection and security standards and protocols imposed by law, regulation, industry standards or contractual obligations. A major breach of our network security and systems could create serious negative consequences for our business and future prospects, including possible fines, penalties, reduced customer demand for our AAVs, and harm to our reputation and brand. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—PRC Regulation” for further details.

An accident involving an AAV provided by us or another manufacturer could cause regulatory agencies around the world to tighten restrictions on the use of AAVs, particularly over-populated areas, and could cause the public to lose confidence in our products and AAVs generally. There are risks associated with autopilot, flight control, communications and other advanced technologies, and, from time to time, there have been accidents associated with these technologies. The safety of certain cutting-edge technologies depends in part on user interaction, and users may not be accustomed to using such technologies. We, the VIE or its subsidiaries could face unfavorable and tightened regulatory control and intervention on the use of autopilot and other advanced technologies and be subject to liability and government scrutiny to the extent accidents associated with our autonomous navigation systems occur. Should a high-profile accident occur resulting in substantial casualty or damages, either involving our AAVs or products offered by other companies, public confidence in and regulatory attitudes toward AAVs could deteriorate. Any of the foregoing could materially and adversely affect our results of operations, financial condition and growth prospects.

Production difficulties, such as capacity constraints, mechanical and systems failures and the need for equipment upgrades, may suspend our production and/or reduce our output. There can be no assurance that we will not experience problems with our production facilities in the future or that we will be able to address any such problems in a timely manner. Problems with key equipment in one or more of our production facilities may affect our ability to produce our AAVs or cause us to incur significant expenses to repair or replace such equipment. Scheduled and unscheduled maintenance programs may affect our production output. Any of these could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. We depend on a continuous supply of utilities, such as electricity and water, to operate our production facilities. Any disruption to the supply of electricity or other utilities may disrupt our production, or cause the deterioration or loss of our inventory. This could adversely affect our ability to fulfill our sales orders and consequently may have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations. In addition, fire, natural disasters, pandemics or extreme weather, including droughts, floods, typhoons or other storms, or excessive cold or heat, could cause power outages, fuel shortages, water shortages, damage to our production, processing or distribution facilities or disruption of transportation channels, any of which could impair or interfere with our operations. We cannot assure you that such events will not happen in the future or that we will be able to take adequate measures to mitigate the likelihood or potential impact of such events, or to effectively respond to such events if they occur.

The battery packs installed on our AAVs make use of lithium-ion cells. On rare occasions, lithium-ion cells can rapidly release the energy they contain by venting smoke and flames in a manner that can ignite nearby materials as well as other lithium-ion cells. While the battery packs used for our AAVs are designed to passively contain any single cell’s release of energy without spreading to neighboring cells, a field or testing failure of our AAVs could occur, which could result in accidents, casualty or damages, and subject us to lawsuits, product recalls, or redesign efforts. Also, negative public perceptions regarding the suitability of lithium-ion cells for AAV applications or any future incident involving lithium-ion cells, even if such incident does not involve our AAVs, could seriously harm our business. In addition, we store a significant number of lithium-ion cells at our facilities. Any mishandling of battery cells may cause disruption to the operation of our facilities. While we have implemented safety procedures related to the handling of the cells, a safety issue or fire related to the cells could disrupt our operations. Such damage or injury could lead to adverse publicity and potentially a safety recall.

Sales of our AAVs, including our passenger-grade AAVs and non-passenger-grade AAVs, must comply with applicable standards in the market where they are sold, including standards on design, manufacturing and operation. In China, for example, certain components of our AAVs must pass various tests and undergo a certification process and be affixed with a China Compulsory Certificate, or CCC, before they can be installed on our AAVs. We cannot assure you that we have obtained the CCC for all the components of our AAVs that are listed in the CCC Product Catalogue. Failure to install components with a CCC may prevent us from selling the affected products and negatively affect our manufacturing and sales of AAVs. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—PRC Regulation” for further details. In the United States, the FAA oversees the safety of aircraft operations in the national airspace system and has the authority to grant airworthiness certificates and related exemptions to unmanned aircraft systems. If we fail to have our AAVs satisfy applicable aerial vehicle standards in any jurisdiction where we operate, our business and operating results would be adversely affected. To achieve a high level of safety assurance, we have also established our own AAV safety standards. While we are committed to producing safe and high-quality products, there can be no assurance that our safety technology will be effective in preventing incidents related to product safety, such as accidents involving our AAVs. Failure to ensure the safe operation of our AAVs will affect our reputation and the sales of our AAVs, which will ultimately adversely affect our business operation and financial results.

We collaborate with various business partners to promote our AAVs and AAV commercial solutions. There can be no guarantee that those business partners will continue to collaborate with us in the future. If we are unable to maintain good relationships with our business partners, or the business of our business partners declines, the reach of our products and services may be adversely affected and our ability to maintain and expand our user base may decrease. Most of the agreements with our business partners do not prohibit them from working with our competitors or from offering competing services. If our partners change their standard terms and conditions in a manner that is detrimental to our business, or if our business partners decide not to continue working with us, or choose to devote more resources to supporting our competitors or their own competing products, we may not be able to find a substitute on commercially favorable terms, or at all, and our competitive advantages may diminish.

Currently we do not rely on any third-party distributors for sales, marketing and distribution activities relating to our AAVs. However, some of our business partners may act as third-party distributors that sell, market and distribute our AAVs to their customers in the future. Accordingly, we may be subject to a number of risks associated with third-party distributors, including a lack of day-to-day control over the activities of third-party distributors selling or using our products and solutions; third-party distributors may terminate their arrangements with us on limited or no notice, or may change the terms of these arrangements in a manner that is unfavorable to us for reasons outside of our control; and any disagreements with our third-party distributors could lead to costly and time-consuming litigation or arbitration. If we fail to establish and maintain satisfactory relationships with our third-party distributors, we may not be able to sell, market and distribute our AAVs according to our internal budget and plans, our future revenues and market share may not grow at a pace that we expect, and we could be subject to increases in sales and marketing and other costs which would harm our results of operations and financial condition.

Our ability to transport and sell our AAVs is critical to our success across our operations. We typically rely on third-party logistics service providers to deliver our domestic sales orders and certain overseas orders. Damage or disruption to our distribution logistics due to disputes, weather, natural disasters, fire, explosions, terrorism, pandemics or labor strikes could impair our ability to distribute or sell our AAVs. Inadequate third-party logistics services could also potentially disrupt our distribution and sales and compromise our business reputation. Failure to take adequate steps to mitigate the likelihood or potential impact of such events, or to effectively manage such events if they occur, could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations, as well as require additional resources to restore our supply chain.

We are vulnerable to natural disasters and other calamities such as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, earthquakes and other adverse weather and climate conditions. Although we have servers that are hosted in an offsite location, our backup system does not capture data on a real-time basis, and we may be unable to recover certain data in the event of a server failure. We cannot assure you that any backup systems will be adequate to protect us from the effects of fire, floods, typhoons, earthquakes, power loss, telecommunications failures, break-ins, war, riots, terrorist attacks or similar events. Any of the foregoing events may give rise to interruptions, breakdowns, system failures, technology platform failures or internet failures, which could cause the loss or corruption of data or malfunctions of software or hardware as well as adversely affect our ability to provide services on our platform.

The value of the Renminbi against the U.S. dollar and other currencies may fluctuate and is affected by, among other things, changes in political and economic conditions in China and by China’s foreign exchange policies. On July 21, 2005, the PRC government changed its decade-old policy of pegging the value of the Renminbi to the U.S. dollar, and the Renminbi appreciated more than 20% against the U.S. dollar over the following three years. Between July 2008 and June 2010, this appreciation halted and the exchange rate between the Renminbi and the U.S. dollar remained within a narrow band. Since June 2010, the Renminbi has fluctuated against the U.S. dollar, at times significantly and unpredictably. On November 30, 2015, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed the regular five-year review of the basket of currencies that make up the Special Drawing Right, or the SDR, and decided that with effect from October 1, 2016, Renminbi is determined to be a freely usable currency and will be included in the SDR basket as a fifth currency, along with the U.S. dollar, the Euro, the Japanese yen and the British pound. With the development of the foreign exchange market and progress towards interest rate liberalization and Renminbi internationalization, the PRC government may in the future announce further changes to the exchange rate system and we cannot assure you that the Renminbi will not appreciate or depreciate significantly in value against the U.S. dollar in the future. It is difficult to predict how market forces, or PRC or U.S. government policy may impact the exchange rate between the Renminbi and the U.S. dollar in the future. Significant revaluation of the Renminbi may have a material and adverse effect on your investment. For example, to the extent that we need to convert U.S. dollars we receive from our initial public offering into Renminbi for our operations, appreciation of the Renminbi against the U.S. dollar would have an adverse effect on the Renminbi amount we would receive from the conversion. Conversely, if we decide to convert our Renminbi into U.S. dollars for the purpose of making payments for dividends on our ordinary shares or ADSs or for other business purposes, appreciation of the U.S. dollar against the Renminbi would have a negative effect on the U.S. dollar amount available to us. Very limited hedging options are available in China to reduce our exposure to exchange rate fluctuations. To date, we have not entered into any material hedging transactions in an effort to reduce our exposure to foreign currency exchange risk. While we may decide to enter into hedging transactions in the future, the availability and effectiveness of these hedges may be limited, and we may not be able to adequately hedge our exposure or at all. In addition, our currency exchange losses may be magnified by PRC exchange control regulations that restrict our ability to convert Renminbi into foreign currency.

Companies, organizations or individuals, including our competitors, may hold or obtain patents, trademarks or other proprietary rights that would prevent, limit or interfere with our ability to make, use, develop, sell or market our AAVs, AAV operating systems and infrastructure or their components, which could make it more difficult for us to operate our business. Companies holding patents or other intellectual property rights may bring suits alleging infringement of such rights by us and the VIE or otherwise assert their rights against us and the VIE. Moreover, our and the VIE’s applications and uses of trademarks relating to our and the VIE’s design, software or artificial intelligence technologies could be found to infringe upon existing trademark ownership and rights. We or the VIE may also fail to apply for key trademarks in a timely manner. For example, we and the VIE discovered some precedent registrations by several other Chinese companies of the trademark “ ” (the Chinese characters for our brand, “EHang”) for vehicles and bicycles, which fall into the same class of products as remote aerial vehicles and aerospace transportation. Although we and the VIE received a favorable judgement in a proceeding relating to such precedent registrations, we or the VIE may continue to face intellectual property infringement claims in the future. If we or the VIE are determined to have infringed upon a third party’s intellectual property rights, we or the VIE may be required to do one or more of the following: • cease selling, incorporating certain components into, or using AAVs or offering goods or services that incorporate or use the challenged intellectual property; • pay substantial damages; • seek a license from the holder of the infringed intellectual property right, which license may not be available on reasonable terms or at all; • redesign our, the VIE or its subsidiaries’ AAVs, AAV operating systems and infrastructure, components or services; or • establish and maintain alternative branding for our, the VIE or its subsidiaries’ products and services. In the event of a successful claim of infringement against us or the VIE and our or the VIE’s failure or inability to obtain a license to the infringed technology or other intellectual property right, our business, prospects, operating results and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected. In addition, any litigation or claims, even if frivolous, could result in substantial costs, negative publicity and diversion of resources and management attention.

Our customers may try to modify our AAVs or operating systems for various reasons, which could compromise the performance and safety of our AAVs, as well as the safety of their passengers. During such modifications, they may use third-party parts that may not be compatible with our products. We do not test, nor do we endorse, such modification. In addition, the use of improper external cabling or unsafe charging outlets can expose our customers to injury from AAV malfunctioning. Any injuries or damages resulting from such modifications or misuses could result in adverse publicity, which would negatively affect our brand and harm our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results.

Our reputation is sensitive to allegations of unethical business practices. We do not control the business practices of our business partners, independent contractors and suppliers, sales agents, dealers or third-party logistics services providers. Accordingly, we cannot guarantee their compliance with ethical business practices, such as environmental responsibilities, fair wage practices, and compliance with child labor laws, among others. A lack of demonstrated compliance could lead us to seek alternative suppliers, sales agents or dealers, which could increase our costs and result in delayed delivery of our products, product shortages or other disruptions of our operations. Violation of labor or other laws by our suppliers, business partners, sales agent, dealers or third-party logistics services suppliers or the divergence of their labor or other practices from those generally accepted as ethical in the markets in which we do business could also attract negative publicity, diminish our brand image and reduce demand for our AAVs and AAV commercial solutions.