Eve Air Mobility, an Embraer spin-out, has accumulated 28 flights with its first engineering prototype of the E100 electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft since its maiden sortie on 19 December. Operating from the Gaviao Peixoto facility in Brazil, the remotely piloted eVTOL now conducts one or two flights per day, with sorties exceeding 1 hour and speeds reaching 30kt (55km/h).
Chief executive Johann Bordais, speaking at the Verticon event in Atlanta, detailed the progressive expansion of the flight envelope. Testing will build to 50kt before the critical 80kt threshold, enabling transition to wing-borne flight. At that point, lift rotors stow, and thrust shifts to the rear-mounted pusher propeller powered by a Beta Technologies electric motor.
Eve targets around 300 flights with this prototype in 2026, transitioning in the first half of 2027 to six conforming prototypes produced at monthly intervals. These will incorporate modifications to the powertrain and electrical systems, plus wheeled landing gear replacing the prototype’s skids. Brazilian regulator ANAC certification is slated for 2028.
“Electrification is giving us some good days and nights of work,” Bordais noted, adding that other elements leverage Embraer’s established technology. Initial studies explore hybrid powertrains for extended range, but no decisions are finalized, with focus on baseline electric certification. Eve showcased a full-scale E100 mock-up at Verticon and maintains commitments for 2,900 units.