Brazil's Electric Aircraft Maker Eve 'On Track' to Start Services in 2026, Seeks Rules to Govern Sector

Eve's electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft has already amassed a backlog of over 2,700 orders prior to the start of production.

By Reuters | Updated: 18 February 2023 11:29 IST

Brazil's Electric Aircraft Maker Eve 'On Track' to Start Services in 2026, Seeks Rules to Govern Sector

Photo Credit: Eve Holding

Eve debuted on the New York Stock Exchange in May 2022

Highlights

Eve Holding is a Brazilian electric aircraft maker
Eve is controlled by Brazilian planemaker Embraer
The company said that it is confident about the "robust project"

Electric aircraft maker Eve Holding is "on track" to meet its goal of starting commercial operations in 2026, an executive said on Friday, and getting its aircraft certificated is the most immediate target.

Eve's vice president of services & fleet operations, Luiz Mauad, told Reuters in an interview he expects authorities in 2023 to make progress on establishing rules for the sector, which would pave the way for certification "in a few years".

Eve, controlled by Brazilian planemaker Embraer, last year launched a process for Brazil's civil aviation regulator to certify its electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, which has already amassed a backlog of over 2,700 orders prior to the start of production.

[Sponsored] Samsung Galaxy S24: The Ultimate Camera Phone With Smarter On-Device AI

"Of course entering service is an important milestone, but before that comes the certification. And certifying an airplane, even a traditional one, is always a huge challenge," Mauad said ahead of the MRO Latin America event in Buenos Aires.

Eve is confident about the "robust project," which is backed by Embraer's expertise, said Mauad, reiterating the goal of starting operations in 2026.

He said Eve already had the cash needed for the project, initially slated to cost $540 million, following a listing in the United States and additional funding from Brazil's state development bank BNDES.

These Four States Reportedly Have the Most Comprehensive EV Policies

Eve debuted on the New York Stock Exchange in May 2022 after combining its business with Zanite Acquisition Corp, raising around $400 million (roughly Rs. 3,300 crore) to manufacture its flying taxis. BNDES later announced it would grant Eve an additional 490 million reais (roughly Rs. 780 crore).

Eve's investors include United Airlines, Acciona, SkyWest, Bradesco BBI, Rolls-Royce, Thales and BAE Systems.

"We have a solid base of investment to make our project, company and products, viable," said Mauad, noting Eve has also been working on solutions such as a software for air traffic management.

Volvo Cars Could Go 100 Percent Electric in India by 2025

"The investment we have already raised gives us peace of mind to develop all these products until they are put into service," he said. "Further investments may come, if needed, but we are still in a very comfortable position."

Consulting firm McKinsey said recently that additional funding would be important for players in the sector this year. Eve's peers include Joby Aviation, Vertical Aerospace, Lilium NV and Archer Aviation.

McKinsey in a report also hinted at potential consolidation, saying mergers and business closures could be seen as "players mature and it may become clearer what technologies, designs, and business models are likely to succeed".

Mauad acknowledged a consolidation process could happen in the sector, but noted Eve was still particularly focused on working through its partnerships.

Samsung's Galaxy S23 series of smartphones was launched earlier this week and the South Korean firm's high-end handsets have seen a few upgrades across all three models. What about the increase in pricing? We discuss this and more on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

Affiliate links may be automatically generated - see our ethics statement for details.

Comments

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.