Eve Urban Air Mobility now carries an order backlog covering 1,785 of its electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft worth $5.4 billion, co-CEO André Stein told media at a Singapore Airshow briefing on Wednesday. While many of the LOI-based orders for the 1,785 aircraft have come from Eve strategic investors, initial deposits accompany many orders, Stein said.

The backlog includes the latest letter-of-intent (LOI), announced yesterday at the Singapore Airshow, outlining an order for up to 40 aircraft by Microflite, which plans to begin flying urban air mobility (UAM) operations in Australia in 2026. Eve also announced a new partnership with HeliSpirit “that contemplates an order of up to 50 [eVTOL] aircraft.” Those aircraft would also begin flying in 2026 and fly with Aviair or HeliSpirit in Western Australia, where the companies have operated tour operations since 1984 in the Kimberley region.

Microflite and Eve will work together initially with helicopters to prove parameters for future eVTOL operations, something that Eve has done with other operators. Eve also has developed “concept of operations” plans that include air traffic management considerations for a variety of locales.

“After working closely with Eve over the past few months, we have identified a network of potential routes and we look forward to working with commercial partners and communities to prioritize these routes and trial selected operations with our existing fleet,” said Microflite CEO Jonathan Booth. The company bases its operations in Victoria and offers tours, charter, pilot training, and emergency services.

As for progress in the design and production of the Eve eVTOL, the recent acceptance of the certification plan for the vehicle by Brazil aviation authority ANAC “gives us a clear roadmap,” Stein said. “We’re focused on putting in the right building blocks,” he added, meaning expanding on early simulation testing that used actual flight control software, flying subscale models, and continuing work on proof-of-concept prototypes (POCs). Ground testing is underway on a full-scale model, he said, and first flight should take place in the coming months, with an aim to achieve certification in 2025 and entry into service in 2026. Eve is also working closely with the FAA and EASA on the certification roadmap.

The volume of orders that Eve has garnered thus far will require a high rate of production, something that the aviation industry has not been able to accomplish efficiently. “This is different than we’ve ever seen,” admitted Stein. “But it’s a few years before we need to freeze the setup for production.” The plan calls for spreading the work to manufacturing and supply partners globally and “scale as needed to help with cash flow,” he explained.

Meanwhile, Eve is focusing on developing four key core technology areas that underpin its eVTOL efforts. These include design and production, service and support, fleet operations, and urban air traffic management.

The vehicle itself will be all-electric, initially seating four passengers and one pilot but eventually transitioning to fully autonomous operation and five-passenger capacity. Range at entry into service will extend to 100 km, which “addresses 99 percent of UAM missions in cities and metropolitan areas,” according to the company. Operating costs will run six times lower than a comparable helicopter and noise footprint up to 90 percent lower.

A typical Singapore eVTOL mission might involve a flight from Jurong West to Changi Airport. While just 41 km on the ground, the drive typically takes an hour. By air, Eve’s eVTOL could make the 30-km trip in only 20 minutes. The "sweet spot" for UAM flights ranges from 30 to 100 km, which would take 12 to 37 minutes, respectively, according to Eve.

Singapore should be able to accommodate more than 200 eVTOLs operating from 30 vertiports and accomplishing 3,000 flights per day while carrying 3 million passengers per year.

By 2035, the Asia-Pacific market will become the world’s largest, Eve predicts, with around 25,000 eVTOL aircraft flying 400,000 flights per day and 500 million passengers per year.