Electric aircraft maker, Eve Holding Inc 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 SA, 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.
"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.
Eve debuted on the New York Stock Exchange in May 2022 after
combining its business with Zanite Acquisition Corp, raising around $400
million to manufacture its flying taxis. BNDES later announced it would grant
Eve an additional 490 million reais ($94.47 million).
Eve's investors include United Airlines, Acciona SA, SkyWest
Inc, 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.
"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 Inc, Vertical Aerospace Ltd, Lilium NV and Archer
Aviation Inc.
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.
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