Japan-headquartered electric motor manufacturer Nidec has made a minority equity investment of $20 million in Eve Air Mobility, a Florida manufacturer of electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
Eve is a launch partner for Nidec Aerospace’s propulsion system through its subsidiary Nidec Motor. Nidec Aerospace was established last year as a joint venture with Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer for development and manufacture of a competitive electric aircraft propulsion system. Plans call for Nidec Aerospace to provide a propulsion system initially to Eve and later to other eVTOL manufacturers, as well as non-eVTOL AAM applications.
Eve was launched as Embraer’s eVTOL development project in 2017 and spun off in 2020. It plans flight tests by the end of this year, and type certification and start of production by 2026. Nidec envisions leveraging its relationship with Embraer to enter into a wider range of aviation-related markets, including industrial drones, hybrid aircraft and next-gen electric aircraft.
“We view this investment in Eve as a confirmation of our confidence in Nidec’s aerospace strategy and an extension of our strategic partnership with Embraer,” said Nidec CEO Vincent Braley.
Source: Nidec
