Eve 100 Starts Next Phase of Flight Testing

Eve Air Mobility has resumed flight testing of its initial eVTOL engineering prototype as it moves toward its first low-speed transition flight. The Embraer spinoff expects an ongoing expansion phase to result in a “full transition” flight—transitioning between vertical lift and horizontal cruise—between October and the end of the year. With Brazilian certification and FAA validation expected by the second half of 2028, Eve’s order book of some 2,700 aircraft, 52 of which are firm orders, has also been augmented by an additional 46 units from two new customers.

Following three months of scheduled “downtime,” Eve has been working to perform the necessary aircraft upgrades, software development, and structural reinforcements to progress to the next phase of flight testing. Speaking at the Farnborough Airshow, Eve Air Mobility CEO Johann Bordais reiterated that lessons learned from this engineering prototype will inform a total fleet of six aircraft, with the first conforming prototype on track to start assembly next year.

On July 19, Brazilian regulator ANAC published its proposed noise certification criteria for Eve 100: a key consideration as flight test activities intensify. Although Bordais cited slightly more vibration in the initial vehicle to date, noise levels were slightly less than anticipated—perhaps around 60 to 65 decibels—though he cautioned that sound perception is perhaps more nuanced than just a number.

Also announced at the show, two new customers placed orders for Eve. Swiss-headquartered start-up airline Moov Airways signed a letter of intent for up to 30 units to deploy across Cabo Verde and Europe. Eve stated that use cases could include medical transport services, infrastructure inspections, sightseeing, and shuttle services. Shearwater Global Capital, Bay Point’s aviation finance company, also opted for 16 units.

According to Eve Air Mobility chief commercial officer Megha Bhatia, the latter order “expands on the emergence of leasing and financing solutions to accelerate the adoption of advanced air mobility worldwide.” This flexibility is, she argued, “especially important for our customers, especially as we’re looking to convert into firm [orders].” Of Eve’s entire order book—valued at more than $14 billion—the majority consists of customers in the Americas, with over half of the backlog in the U.S. alone.

To date, Eve has signed two binding deals: the first with São Paulo urban air mobility operator and launch customer Revo, which placed a firm order of 50 aircraft worth $250 million. The second, Tokyo-based AirX, has signed for two firm units and 48 further options. Both of these deals include pre-delivery payments. However, Bhatia concluded that Eve is “fundamentally seeing an increased interest from [its] customers,” with a “tangible demand coming through the market.”