Electric aircraft maker Eve said on Thursday 20 July that its first production facility will be located in Taubate, Brazil, capitalising on the town's logistical advantages and proximity to parent company Embraer.
Details
Eve expects to start commercial operations of its electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL) in 2026, and recently announced key equipment suppliers for the project.
Taubate is located near Embraer's headquarters in the neighboring town of Sao Jose dos Campos, Eve said. Taubate is 130 kilometres (80 miles) from Brazil's biggest city, Sao Paulo.
The manufacturing plant will be situated on a designated portion of land within an existing Embraer unit, which will be expanded, Eve said in a statement.
"When we began our search for a manufacturing location to build our eVTOL, we wanted to reimagine how the aircraft could be built using the latest technology and manufacturing processes, coupled with other aspects such as supply chain and logistics," Eve co-CEO Andre Stein said.
The company touted the site's proximity to a railroad and two key highways, as well as proximity to Embraer's headquarters and its own engineering and human resources team, as enhancing its agility and competitiveness.
Eve is seen as a leader in the nascent eVTOL industry, having amassed an order backlog of up to 2,850 aircraft from clients in countries such as Brazil, the United States, India and France before starting production.
Eve, on its website, says its eVTOL will have a range of 60 miles and carry four passengers plus a pilot, and when autonomous flight is certified it will take up to six passengers.
The development of its eVTOL is backed by investors such as United Airlines, Rolls-Royce and BAE Systems.
Additional Information
Eve did not disclose how much it expects to invest in the new production facility or when the plant is expected to start operating. It said the move was still subject to final approval from authorities.
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