MONTREAL, EVIO Inc. made its public debut today with the launch of its EVIO 810 hybrid-electric regional aircraft, having secured conditional purchase agreements and options for 450 aircraft, targeted to enter into service by the early 2030s. EVIO benefits from investment and technical support from Boeing, and the company is collaborating with RTX’s Pratt & Whitney Canada to develop propulsion technology for the aircraft.

EVIO has been developing its clean-sheet design for several years, targeting the 50- to 100-seat market with a new level of efficiency and lower emissions, as well as offering unique cargo and defense capabilities. The EVIO 810’s performance and versatility will be enabled by a highly innovative hybrid-electric propulsion architecture.

In 2023, EVIO received conditional purchase agreements for 250 of its hybrid-electric aircraft from two major airlines, with options for an additional 200 aircraft. The company has matured its “strong hybrid-electric design” – meaning the aircraft will be capable of both all-electric and hybrid-electric flight.

“From day one, our focus has been on increasing profitability for regional operators and providing an exceptional passenger experience,” said Michael Derman, CEO of EVIO. “We’ve recognized early on that a strong-hybrid architecture can provide unmatched efficiencies for airlines, helping them sustain vibrant regional networks in a cost-effective, responsible way.”

With more than 5,000 regional turboprops and jets requiring replacement in the next 20 years, the company projects a total demand for more than 7,500 units in this category in the next two decades.

“This collaboration is an exciting opportunity to advance the potential of novel hybrid-electric aircraft architectures,” said Scott McElvaine, vice president, Sales & Marketing, Pratt & Whitney Canada. “We will leverage the proven performance and unmatched reliability of the PT6E engine, as well as our decades of experience in propulsion technology innovation and systems integration, to unlock new possibilities for aircraft fuel efficiency and mission versatility.”

“EVIO’s new hybrid-electric aircraft development and partnership with Canadian industry is an example of the promising innovation in the country’s aerospace sector,” said Boeing Canada President Al Meinzinger. “We look forward to continuing our collaboration with EVIO as they advance this technology to deliver more energy-efficient regional air travel.”

Derman credited the company’s disruptive design approach to “a worldclass team that has served in key roles in some of the most successful aircraft programs in recent history.”

The company is governed by an industry-leading board that includes former Airbus Senior Vice President Rob Dewar, who led the development of the CSeries/A220 program, the first clean-sheet narrowbody jetliner in over 40 years; and former Lockheed Martin Executive Vice President Frank Cappuccio, who led Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works advanced design organization and oversaw the company’s successful bid for the largest military aircraft program in history, the F-35.

Over the past five years, approximately 2,650 regional aircraft have been retired due to rising operational and maintenance costs, while only about 750 new aircraft have entered service, resulting in a 27% reduction of the total fleet.

Despite this trend, there are 47,000 regional flights per day under 500 miles out of a total of 100,000 global daily flights, according to EVIO’s analysis of data from travel data provider OAG.

According to leading aerospace consultant Richard Aboulafia of Aerodynamic Advisory, who has reviewed the EVIO program, “The challenge in the regional market is not demand, but rather the lack of a modern, economical solution. From what I have observed from their program review, EVIO appears well positioned to disrupt the short-haul market with a game-changing solution.”

Source: EVIO Energy