Brazil Eve: Power Grid Not Ready for ‘Flying Cars’ Yet

An executive at Brazilian startup Eve Air Mobility told Reuters that the world’s power grid was not yet ready for so-called “flying cars”, with electric plane makers looking to power companies to fill the gap. He added that he was in talks with
Eve’s vice president of service and operations solutions, Luis Mourado, said the emerging industry faces challenges when it comes to supplying the power needed to charge electric aircraft. But he expressed optimism that these issues will be resolved by the time Eve reaches its goal of entering commercial operation in 2026.
Eve is one of several startups around the world developing battery-powered aircraft that can take off and land vertically to get passengers to airports and for short city trips to avoid traffic jams, Reuters said. Communications reported.
Mourad said Eve is in talks with power generation and distribution companies around the world about having the right infrastructure for electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOLs), including so-called vertiports to take off.
Controlled by aircraft maker Embraer, Eve has a backlog of up to 2,850 aircraft and customers in countries such as Brazil, the United States, India and France.
“Major cities are more prepared, and companies say they are conducting grid studies for cities with greater demand,” Mourado said. “But there is still the ‘last mile’ challenge to power Vertyport.”
Eve officials said the company was keen to partner with power companies to develop the necessary infrastructure, and announced that it was in talks with EDP about a project in Brazil.
“Once the customer decides on a specific route, the power company will be able to decide if the location is okay or if it will take longer,” he said.
Eve’s eVTOL is developed for a range of 100 km (60 miles). The company estimates that the average distance traveled will be around 30km.
Muhuad said there is also discussion about establishing a beltiport, which could range from as small as a helipad to as large as a hub, with multiple stands and passenger terminals, depending on demand and available area. He pointed out that research has shown that
“This is an area where we are learning as we go,” he said.