Eve Air Mobility has named Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) as supplier for its eVTOL aircraft's pylons. Pylons are a key component of the airframe that provide support for the aircraft's electric power units and eight lift propellers.

"KAI has an excellent reputation for quality, technology and business performance supplying numerous aerostructure components for a variety of aircraft including Embraer's E-Jet E2 model," says CEO Johann Bordais. "We are excited to have KAI join a strong and diverse list of suppliers who will work with us to supply components from prototype through production."

During the past 30 years, KAI has supplied major aerostructure components to global aircraft manufacturers, including Embraer for its E-Jet E2 model. The agreement marks KAI's formal entry into the AAM market. Last year, CEO Goo Young Kang designated space and future air mobility as the company's core future businesses through its 2050 vision declaration, and the company has significantly invested in production infrastructure with the goal of growing its market share in the rapidly growing AAM market going forward.

KAI joins a long list of suppliers. The OEM has already named Aciturri for wing skin, spars and leading/trailing edges of the wing; Crouzet for pilot controls; Thales for sensors and a computer; Honeywell for guidance, navigation and external lighting; RECARO Aircraft Seating for seats; FACC for horizontal and vertical tail including the rudder and elevator; Garmin for avionics; Liebherr-Aerospace for flight controls actuators; Intergalactic for the thermal management system; Nidec Aerospace for the electric propulsion system; BAE Systems for the energy storage system; and Duc Hélice Propellers for the rotors and propeller.

Eve's eVTOL aircraft utilises a lift+cruise configuration with eight dedicated propellers for vertical flight and fixed wings to fly on cruise, with no change in the position of these components during flight. The latest concept includes an electric pusher powered by dual electric motors that provide propulsion redundancy. While offering numerous advantages such as lower cost of operation, fewer parts, optimised structures and systems, it has been developed to offer efficient thrust with low sound.

Eve's first eVTOL production facility will be located in the city of Taubaté, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The company has begun assembly of its first full-scale eVTOL prototype which will be followed by a test campaign. It should start deliveries and entry into service in 2026.