Electric aircraft maker Eve Holding Inc remains “on track” to reach its goal of starting commercial operations in 2026, an executive said on Friday, with its most pressing goal being to get an aircraft certified.
Eve’s vice president of fleet services and operations, Luiz Mauad, said in an interview with Reuters that he expects authorities to move forward in establishing rules for the sector in 2023, which would pave the way for certification “in a few years”. .
Eve, controlled by aircraft manufacturer Embraer, last year opened a process for the National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac) to certify its electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL). The backlog of orders for the aircraft already exceeds 2,700 before the start of production.
“Entering service, yes, is a very important milestone, but before that comes certification — and certifying an airplane, even a traditional airplane, is already a giant challenge for any company”, said Mauad before the MRO Latin America event, in Buenos Aires. Aires.
Eve is confident in the “robust project”, which relies on Embraer’s expertise, said Mauad, reiterating the goal of starting operations in 2026.
He said that Eve already has the necessary money for the project, initially estimated at US$540 million, after listing in the United States and financing with the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES).
Eve debuted on the New York Stock Exchange in May 2022 after merging its businesses with Zanite Acquisition, raising nearly $400 million to manufacture its aircraft. BNDES later announced financing for Eve of an additional 490 million reais.
“We have a solid base of investments, we can make our project viable – company and products”, said Mauad, noting that Eve has also been working on solutions such as software for air traffic management.
“The investment we’ve already raised gives us peace of mind from developing all these products to putting them into service,” he said. “Other investments, if necessary, could perhaps come, but we are still in a very calm position.”
His comments come after consulting firm McKinsey said earlier this year that additional funding would be important for industry players this year.
Eve’s peers include Joby Aviation, Vertical Aerospace, Lilium and Archer Aviation.
In a report, McKinsey also hinted at the possibility of consolidation, saying that mergers and deal closures could be seen as “players mature and it may become clearer which technologies, designs and business models are likely to succeed”.
Mauad acknowledged that a process of consolidation could take place in the industry, but noted that Eve is still particularly focused on working through its partnerships.
Eve’s investors include United Airlines, Acciona, SkyWest, Bradesco BBI, Rolls-Royce, Thales and BAE Systems.
Source: CNN Brasil
I am an experienced journalist, writer, and editor with a passion for finance and business news. I have been working in the journalism field for over 6 years, covering a variety of topics from finance to technology. As an author at World Stock Market, I specialize in finance business-related topics.
