Eve Air Mobility has made two strides towards getting its Eve 100 electric air taxi into service worldwide, applying to the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to begin validating the aircraft’s Type Certificate while Brazil’s regulator asks industry to comment on updated airworthiness criteria.
The Embraer-backed firm, listed in New York and São Paulo, is one of a pack of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) developers, alongside Bristol’s Vertical Aerospace and America’s Joby Aviation, scrambling to turn prototypes into certified passenger-carrying aircraft. Europe joining the process matters, because a validated Type Certificate is the ticket to commercial flights on this side of the Atlantic.
The EASA application adds a third major authority to the Eve 100’s paperwork pile. Eve formalised its Type Certificate application with Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) in February 2022, then brought in America’s FAA in 2023 for a concurrent validation process, aligning the certification basis and means of compliance between the two regulators. Certification activities with the FAA are already underway.
Next steps with EASA include initial product familiarisation activities and further technical discussions.
Meanwhile in Brazil, ANAC has opened a sectoral consultation on updated airworthiness criteria for the Eve 100, with comments accepted until August 18. The updated criteria build on the first set published in November 2024, with revisions aimed at closer harmonisation with international approaches, including the FAA’s guidance for powered-lift aircraft. Once the consultation closes, ANAC will review the responses and assess potential refinements.
“ANAC’s consultation with industry stakeholders on the updated airworthiness criteria and our application for EASA Type Certificate validation are important demonstrations of the steady advancement of the Eve 100 certification process,” said Johann Bordais, CEO of Eve. “We value the close technical collaboration with ANAC and the engagement with leading aviation authorities as we advance a comprehensive certification approach for new aircraft technologies. These steps further strengthen our path toward type certification and support our work to bring the Eve 100 to key global markets.”
Regulators playing nicely
Harmonisation is the theme here. With no long rulebook history for eVTOLs, regulators are writing the standards as the aircraft are developed, and getting Brazil, America and Europe pulling in the same direction should spare manufacturers from certifying the same aircraft three times over.
Tiago Faierstein, ANAC’s Director-President, said: “For ANAC, Advanced Air Mobility is a strategic priority, and Brazil can play an important role, in partnership with leading civil aviation authorities worldwide, in supporting safe and harmonized certification processes. At the same time, we are advancing workstreams to develop standards and regulations to ensure the necessary infrastructure and airspace are in place for this aerial innovation, which will soon be integrated into the civil aviation ecosystem. ANAC recognizes that eVTOLs are here to stay and will remain strongly committed to supporting the development of this sector.”
Progress on the regulatory front is welcome news for a sector that has seen fortunes swing wildly, with Rolls-Royce abandoning its electric flying taxi ambitions altogether in 2024. Eve, by contrast, has been busy building its order book, most recently signing a letter of intent for up to 30 eVTOLs in Cabo Verde with Swiss aviation firm Moov.
There is no word yet on a UK certification path for the Eve 100, but with EASA now in the fold alongside ANAC and the FAA, the aircraft’s route to international skies looks increasingly well mapped.
