Embraer's Eve rolls out flying taxi prototype, cash needs covered until 2027
Eve has showcased for the first time the full-scale prototype of its "flying taxi," achieving a milestone as the company aims to obtain certification and enter service in 2026.
Eve, controlled by Embraer, rolled out its electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft prototype at an event with investors and clients at the Brazilian planemaker's Gaviao Peixoto plant on July 3.
The company is one of a bevy of startups worldwide developing battery-powered aircraft that can take off and land vertically to ferry travelers on short city trips, allowing them to beat traffic.
Eve expects to fly the prototype by the end of this year or early 2025, CEO Johann Bordais told Reuters at the event, after starting ground tests in July.
The first non-conforming prototype is equipped with electric engines but does not have a cabin or pilot. The final aircraft will seat four passengers and a pilot.
«This prototype is completely remote so we can test aerodynamics, start flying and then make what we call transition flight from vertical to horizontal flight,» Bordais said. He said having the full-scale prototype ready for tests is another step toward certifying the aircraft, which Eve expects to achieve by 2026. Eve applied for certification in 2022 to Brazil's civil aviation regulator.
Eve will have five conforming prototypes ready next year and a pre-series eVTOL by 2026 as part of the certification process, Bordais said.
«This is a foundation stone so we can learn and keep going,» he added. «Challenges exist. It's not
