As usual, there was no shortage of announcements coming from primes in the fixed-wing commercial aviation sector, but audiences and attendees were also treated to the notable presence of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft at the biennial Paris Air Show.
Eve Air Mobility: eVTOL
On the fringe of the Paris Air Show, inside a large container shelter, Eve Air Mobility, a subsidiary of the Brazilian company Embraer, displayed its passenger eVTOL for urban air mobility missions.
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Even with a firm order with Revo, an urban air mobility operator (UAM), and intent to build up to 54 units serving Brazil and the United States, Eve’s eVTOL enters the market without a name.
Combining conventional fixed wings, eight rotors, and pushers ensures safety, efficiency, and certifiability. With a range of 60 miles (100 km), the eVTOL offers a sustainable commute with substantial noise reduction during the cruise.
Although the platform is seen below with skis, Eve can also offer wheels as an alternative.
The aircraft is designed for travel between airports and a nearby city in a typical journey of around 30 kilometres, with a 15-20 minutes’ charging time, carrying four passengers.
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By GlobalDataEve expects its eVTOLs will perform between ten and 15 flights per day. At the same time, the internal traveller space may be reconfigured within two hours to carry cargo if needed.
Eve has an ambition to reach 1,000 flight hours per year, which is around twice what a helicopter typically flies in one year.
The platform on display is said to be highly representative of the final aircraft – with certification with the US Federal Aviation Administration and Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Registry to come in 2027.
eHANG: EH216-S
eHANG, a Chinese-based UAM platform provider, presented its passenger-carrying EH216-S aerial vehicle at the Paris Air Show.
EH216-S is the company’s flagship offering, and it has obtained new certificates for: type, production, and standard airworthiness, issued by the Civil Aviation Administration in China.
In January 2025, the system conducted a demonstration flight over downtown Shanghai.
The company also officially launched a trial operation of the eVTOL sightseeing routes by the Huangpu River at Longhua Airport in Shanghai, in preparation for the following commercial operations in Shanghai. This move aims to realise UAM missions in Tier 1 cities.
Longhua Airport is said to offer ideal conditions for various low-altitude economic activities, including aerial mobility, tourism and sightseeing, emergency rescue and logistics.
Archer Aviation: Midnight
Out of the eVTOL vehicles in Paris this week, Archer Aviation’s Midnight aircraft appears to fly the farthest at 20-50 miles with minimal charge time between. The aircraft can reach speeds of up to 150 miles per hour.
Midnight is configured to operate with a pilot and up to four passengers as well as carry-on luggage. It was recently named as the official “air taxi” partner for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Midnight is powered by six independent proprietary battery packs, each supporting a pair of custom electric engines. I
With fully-electric propulsion and smaller rotors than helicopters, the aircraft is up to 100 times quieter than a helicopter when flying at cruising altitudes, making them virtually inaudible from the streets below.
Pipistrel: Nuuva V300
While the eVTOL market still largely revolves around UAM missions, as we have seen with the previous aircraft, Pipistrel, a subsidiary of Textron Systems, showcased its Nuuva V300 which is serves as a cargo carrier.
With a payload capacity between 600-900 pounds (272-408 kilogrammes), Nuuva can carry up to three palettes at one time at ranges of up to 300 nautical miles.
Notably, this is the first time that Pipistrel have exhibited the platform since it underwent its first flight test in January 2025. However, the company have still yet to mature the vehicle with additional programme development ongoing.
Kyria Shortt, the president and CEO of Textron eAviation, spoke to Airport Technology about Nuuva and its unique position in the market.
“It was always envisioned as a hybrid solution, we have eight electric motors for the vertical takeoff and landing portion of flight, but we have that internally combusted motor for the wing board portion of flight which does give you that range duration.”
Due to the hardier mission requirements of a cargo carrier, Nuuva is designed to be runway and vertiport independent.
“So if you look at the vehicle, you’ll see that we have landing pegs which are effectively shock absorbers, and then the base of that landing peg is gimble so that you’re able to set the vehicle down,” Shortt identified.
“The other aspect I would say is that it is a cargo-intended use case, whereas most of the eVTOL companies have, at least initially, focused on the urban air mobility market,” Shortt observed.
“Some are shifting [to cargo] now… and so for us that puts us ahead of the curve because that’s the whole intent of [Nuuva].”
By John Hill in Paris
