Eve Soluções de Mobilidade Aérea Urbana Ltda (Eve), an independent company founded by Embraer, will receive R$ 490 million from the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) to carry out the first phase of the project to produce electric take-off and vertical landing (eVTOL). With zero local emissions, the forecast is that the vehicle will be available on the market from 2026. According to the bank, the vehicle, known as the flying car, “will be designed to carry out urban flights, with low noise levels and greater sustainability in the compared to traditional vehicles”.
According to the BNDES, the financing of R$ 490 million for investments is equivalent to 75% of the total invested in this phase of the project, focused on research and development (R&D), which is R$ 652 million. “Of this amount, R$ 80 million will come from the BNDES Fundo Clima Program (Urban Mobility subprogram) and R$ 410 million from the Finem Line – Incentivized A/Inovation”, informed the bank.
The 100% battery electric vehicle, initially, in addition to the pilot, will have the capacity to transport four passengers, for a distance of up to 100 kilometers. According to the specifications, the aircraft will emit up to 90% less noise than helicopters.
In the view of the BNDES, in the coming decades, the urban air mobility market will be driven by growing factors for urban populations, limitations of land space and high costs of improving infrastructure, and also by the high rates of local pollution of traditional means of transport . “With an innovative technology, the eVTOLs will enable short trips faster than traditional means and with zero local emissions of greenhouse gases”, he noted.
The director of productive and socio-environmental credit at the BNDES, Bruno Aranha, said that the BNDES is proud to support the development of the eVTOL and highlighted that the operation is especially emblematic within the scope of the Climate Fund, since it serves the development of a disruptive product and which will reduce the emission of greenhouse gases.
“This is a huge innovative effort carried out in Brazil by highly qualified engineers. The successful development of the eVTOL will allow entry into a highly technologically intensive market segment. It is worth mentioning that this operation constitutes another milestone in the long strategic partnership between the BNDES and Embraer, which began in 1997”.
The founder of Eve’s co-CEO, André Stein, was satisfied with the partnership with BNDES. “We are delighted with the trust and support BNDES has shown Eve as we move forward with the development of our zero-emissions electric aircraft and continue to commit to carbon neutrality throughout the aircraft’s lifecycle.”
For the executive, support is not restricted to the possibility of accelerating innovation, but also the rise of a new, more sustainable form of aviation with eVTOL aircraft, helping to transform industry and urban mobility, and reducing noise and the cost of urban flights. “The BNDES will be a fundamental partner for us to complete the development of our portfolio of products and services”.
The BNDES informed that the consummation of the financing is subject to the fulfillment of previous conditions established by the institution itself and, finally, to the signature of the respective contract.
