Several US air taxi developers this week disclosed new business deals, including Eve Air Mobility, which plans soon to begin testing its electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft with motors supplied by Beta Technologies.
Archer Aviation also said this week that it acquired assets from Overair, and Joby Aviation signed a deal to purchase Blade Air Mobility’s passenger-travel brokerage and marketing business.
Eve in 2023 had selected Nidec Aerospace to supply electric propulsion systems for its in-development air taxi.
But on 6 August, Florida-based Eve, which is majority owned by Embraer, said it will also test its prototype aircraft with motors supplied by Beta, a Vermont company developing an all-electric fixed-wing aircraft.
“We signed with Beta an agreement to test their… electrical motors on our prototype,” Eve chief executive Johann Bordais says, adding that Nidec remains “committed and involved”.
Beta has a “strong relationship” with the Federal Aviation Administration and a “start-up mindset”, Bordais adds. “We’re looking for the most optimal… design when it comes to safety, performance, reliability and cost effectiveness.”
The shift comes as Eve prepares to complete first flight of its prototype, a milestone now expected in December, Embraer’s chief executive Francisco Gomes Neto said on 5 August.
“Our full-scale engineering prototype is undergoing the last set of ground test before it initiates its flight campaign,” Bordais adds.
Beta itself is seen as a leading electric aircraft developer – though it has taken a more-conventional approach, at least initially. Beta’s first model, the Alia CX300 CTOL (conventional take-off and landing), has fixed wings and a pusher prop . The company plans later to develop an eVTOL variant.
Beta is also unique in completing in-house development of aircraft systems and related technologies, including electric propulsion units, flight controls and charging equipment, the company tells FlightGlobal.
Beta started developing its electronic propulsion systems in 2021 and has logged tens of thousands of hours of engine tests, including nearly 500h of flight tests.
“A core part of Beta’s certification strategy is to certify our [electric] pusher motor… as a standalone technology, which will then feed into our Alia CTOL and Alia VTOL certification,” Beta says. “Certifying the most novel, complex technology first will help streamline the process to certify our aircraft. It also affords us the flexibility of another standalone system to sell to others in the aviation industry.”
Speaking on 6 August, Eve vice-president of engineering and technology Luiz Valentini says the Nidec and Beta motors differ in size and “with respect to cooling systems”.
“And, there are some differences [in] the way that [the Beta motor] integrates into the vehicle… How it communicates and how some of the protections are made,” he adds.
The differences warrant more testing to determine “what is best for the vehicle as a whole”, says Valentini.
Also in recent days, California eVTOL developer Archer said it had bolstered its defence business by acquiring a portfolio of patents and employees Overair, and by acquiring its composite fabrication site.
“These assets allow Archer to bring core composite fabrication capabilities in-house, supporting its defence programme needs for rapid prototyping and iteration,” it says.
And on 4 August, Joby, also based in California, said it signed a deal to acquire the Blade’s passenger air transport brokerage and marketing business for a minimum of $90 million.
That business does not operate aircraft but markets and sells flights on helicopters and other aircraft operated by partner companies. Blade’s financial filings show that the business squeaked out a $3.6 million profit last year but lost $5 million in 2023.
“With access to the infrastructure they have secured and the loyal customer base they have developed, we will be in the best possible position to launch our quiet, electric aircraft as soon as certification is secured, ” says Joby chief executive JoeBen Bevirt.
