Eve Air Mobility (NYSE: EVEX) said it continues working toward its goal of beginning commercial service with its eVTOL in 2026.
The company said it has completed propeller tests aimed at identifying designs with favorable combinations of efficiency, performance, quiet operation, and operating cost.
Eve is now focused on testing its vertical lift rotors with particular attention to their performance during transitions between vertical and forward flight.
Eve’s eVTOL uses dedicated rotors for vertical flight and fixed wings for cruise flight. Unlike some eVTOL designs, Eve’s does not require any components to change position during flight. The company said this configuration “favors safety, efficiency, reliability, and certifiability while also reducing the cost of operation and additional maintenance, repair, and overhaul costs.”
“We are very pleased with our program development activities to date and making very good progress as we move toward the selection of primary suppliers and finalize the definition of our aircraft systems architecture,” said Alice Altissimo, vice president of program management and operation for Eve.
Eve plans to choose its main suppliers during the first half of 2023 and begin assembling its first full-scale eVTOL prototype during the second half of 2023. Testing is set for 2024.
In addition to aircraft testing, Eve has been working on an urban air traffic management system, or Urban ATM, and announced the completion of the prototype version Friday.
The prototype focuses on concepts and services needed to support the introduction and expansion of urban air mobility operations, according to Eve. The company said it is now developing the commercial version of Urban ATM to aid in the airspace integration of eVTOLS.
Advanced air mobility could “unlock significant new transportation options and economic opportunities for society. Eve recognizes that these developments need to be reviewed for safety and unification with the current airspace ecosystem to avoid potential logistical challenges,” said Andre Stein, co-CEO of Eve. “By offering comprehensive solutions, our Urban ATM technology will provide critical traffic management services which will be essential to address these concerns.”
Eve initially tested the Urban ATM prototype last fall in a simulation using helicopters as substitutes for eVTOLs. The exercise “provided essential feedback for Eve to advance the development of its commercial Urban ATM solutions,” the company said.
