By Leticia Fucuchima
SAO PAULO, July 17 (Reuters) – Hitachi Energy and Eve have formed a partnership to jointly develop the power infrastructure needed for Eve’s “flying car,” or electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle, the companies said on Friday.
• Under the memorandum of understanding, Eve and the energy unit of Japanese conglomerate Hitachi will work together on the charging apparatus for the aircraft.
• This is the first partnership that Eve, which is controlled by Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer, has signed for charging infrastructure for its aircraft.
• “The power has to be there from day one. Otherwise, we can’t fly; we can’t take off,” Luiz Mauad, Eve’s vice president of customer services, told reporters at the event announcing the deal.
• Hitachi Energy will adapt its technology for electric vehicle fleet charging to meet the specific requirements of eVTOLs, said Glauco Freitas, the firm’s Brazil head.
• Eve’s aircraft are currently undergoing flight testing, with certification expected in 2028; the firm has already attracted 2,700 pre-orders worldwide.
(Reporting by Leticia Fucuchima in Sao Paulo; Writing by Andre Romani; Editing by Jamie Freed)
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