Eve 100 Demonstrator Makes Partial Transition Flight

Eve Air Mobility has achieved what it terms the “first partial transition flight of its engineering prototype,” marking the start of a campaign it says is on track to achieve a full-speed forward transition with its eVTOL aircraft by the end of the year. According to the company, the test flights will help determine the final configuration of a conforming prototype for the four-passenger Eve 100 model, which, following a design freeze by year-end, it aims to assemble and fly in the second half of 2027.

The partial transition flight, announced on August 3, involved the uncrewed aircraft activating its rear pusher propeller. During the approximately three minute flight, conducted at Eve’s headquarters in Brazil’s Gavião Peixoto, the prototype achieved around 30 knots. Eve explained it intends to progressively expand the airspeed envelope over the coming weeks, ultimately reaching around 90 knots for a ‘full transition’ by the end of the year. During the company’s earnings call on August 4, Eve Air Mobility CEO Johann Bordais suggested this could take some 30 more flights. 

Although the Embraer spinoff had previously suggested low-speed transition testing might happen shortly before July’s Farnborough airshow, timelines are largely in keeping with plans set out by Eve earlier this year. This will see the first of six crewed conforming prototypes assembled and flown in the second half of 2027, preceding anticipated Brazilian type certification in 2028.

“Meanwhile, we are conducting a critical design review with our suppliers for each system and component that will be featured in our coming conforming prototype. This will allow us to release drawings and continue manufacturing components within the required specifications to produce and test our conforming vehicle,” added Bordais. A design freeze at the end of 2026 is expected to precede assembly in early 2027.

Eve ended the second quarter of 2026 with around $403 million in cash and a total liquidity of $531 million, something it reaffirmed is enough to support operations through 2028 without new funding. Chief financial officer Eduaro Couto also highlighted how the Embraer spin-off has already started to capture previously-identified synergies with its parent company regarding cost reductions, with Eve expecting to save around $100- to $150-million over three years.