United Airlines signs purchase agreement for up to 400 Brazilian Eve air cabs

US carrier United Airlines has announced a US$15 million investment in Eve Air Mobility and a conditional purchase agreement for two hundred four-seat electric aircraft and two hundred additional options.

The first deliveries are expected as early as 2026.

This marks another significant investment by United in air cabs – or eVTOLs (electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles), which have the potential to revolutionize the travel experience in cities around the world.

Under the agreement, the companies intend to work on future projects, including studies on the development, use, and application of Eve’s aircraft and the urban air mobility (UAM) ecosystem.

Eve is the electric aircraft (eVTOL) subsidiary of Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer.

“United is making early investments in various cutting-edge technologies at all levels of the supply chain, strengthening our leadership in aviation sustainability and innovation,” said Michael Leskinen, president of United Airlines Ventures.

“Our agreement with Eve demonstrates our confidence in the urban air mobility market and serves as a guide to our goal of zero carbon emissions by 2050 – without using traditional offsets,” he added.

United Airlines was the first major U.S. airline to establish a venture capital fund, United Airlines Ventures (UAV), to support the company’s 100 percent environmental commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 without relying on traditional offsets.

United is leading the industry’s investment in eVTOLs, electric aircraft, hydrogen fuel cell engines, and sustainable aviation fuels.

Last month, United made a down payment of US$10 million to a California eVTOL company for one hundred aircraft.

United’s investment in Eve was driven partly by confidence in the potential growth opportunities in the urban air mobility market and Eve’s unique relationship with Embraer, a trusted aircraft manufacturer with a 53-year track record in aircraft production and certification.

This relationship includes access to Embraer’s service centers, spare parts warehouses, and field service technicians, paving the way for reliable operations.

Once in service, United can have its entire eVTOL fleet serviced by Eve’s agnostic services and support.

Instead of conventional internal combustion engines, the eVTOL is designed to use electric motors that enable carbon-free flights and will be used as an air cab in urban markets.

Eve features a conventional fixed wing, rotors, and engines, a practical and intuitive vertical takeoff and cruise flight concept that favors safety, efficiency, reliability, and certifiability.

With a range of 60 miles (100 kilometers), the aircraft not only has the potential to provide sustainable travel but also reduce noise pollution by ninety percent compared to a conventional aircraft.

Eve is also developing an air traffic management solution to establish the UAM sector safely.

The software has the same level of safety as Embraer’s air traffic management software, which should be a strategic advantage for the sector’s growth.

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