ve, an electric aircraft manufacturer, and Blade Air Mobility have announced an expansion of their partnership to integrate Eve’s upcoming flying car into Blade’s European route network, beginning with France. This collaboration, revealed during the Paris Airshow, follows previous agreements between the two companies to utilize Eve’s electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOLs) in India and the United States.
Eve, which is owned by Brazilian planemaker Embraer, is slated to commence commercial operations of its vehicle by 2026. The latest memorandum of understanding between Eve and Blade will see Blade concentrating on developing practical applications for air mobility, including the identification of future routes in France and other European countries. However, it has not been disclosed whether this deal entails new eVTOL purchases by Blade, which currently operates conventional helicopter flights between Nice and Monaco in Europe.
Blade CEO Rob Wiesenthal expressed his commitment to leading the transition from traditional to electric vertical aircraft and highlighted the significance of extending their partnership with Eve. Meanwhile, Eve’s backlog of nearly 2,800 orders, supported by investors such as United Airlines and Rolls-Royce, demonstrates substantial demand for their eVTOLs. The company recently announced its first equipment suppliers for the vehicles and plans to commence the construction of its first full-scale prototype in the latter half of this year, with additional testing scheduled for 2024.
Eve CEO Andre Stein believes that the extended partnership with Blade will enable the companies to leverage their expertise and resources to enhance travel accessibility and contribute to environmental improvements. Blade’s acquisition of the charter and scheduled flight operations of European firms Monacair, Heli Securite, and Azur Helicoptere last year has proven crucial for ongoing discussions with Eve in technical and commercial aspects.
