eCTOLs Could Take Over Gains That eVTOLs Held In late 2024 JF published an article about eVTOL uncertainty for service entry. European companies for a significant portion of the development and early certification stages have been leading the global eVTOL race but that has started to slow with the relative struggle to complete certification and also to just stay in business. German manufacturer Lilium went out of business, Volocopter went out of business and was subsequently absorbed by the Chinese entity that now runs Diamond Aircraft. UK airframer Vertical Aerospace is one of the few left that has a decent chance to overcome certification at this stage. The enormity of funding required to push eVTOL development pass regulatory certification can suck an airframer dry. eCTOLs (Electric Conventional Take Off and Landing) aircraft are a much more attractive proposition. For a fraction of the development and certification cost an eCTOL can be brought to market. Below is a look at the Vaeridion Microliner.
There are quite a few start up companies in this department in Europe as well. Some of them include Vaeridion who is producing the Microliner. They are the German startup of the Microliner which is a nine-passenger electric regional aircraft. In France, there is Aura Aero that is looking to develop a family of hybrid electric aircraft. However, they are starting their path with a two-seat trainer. Maeve is another German company that is looking to bring to market a hybrid airliner with approximately 80-seats. Let's not forget companies like the Swedish Heart Aerospace. They have been looking to bring a eCTOL to market but recently moved their operations to the U.S. and even the Norwegians are in on the electric trend with the Elfly, a nine-passenger electric seaplane. Below is the Heart Aerospace HS-30.
Regional Air Mobility (RAM) vs Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) -which is associated with eVTOLs-, is perhaps easier to certify and the cost to bring an eCTOL to market is cheaper and they can use existing airports not relying to specific infrastructure to be built-out as eVTOLs would require. In Europe there are still a few eVTOL makers that are continuing to push ahead with the development of their craft. As previously mentioned, Vertical Aerospace is still in the race and they have -at least for now- benefitted from the demise of Lilium and Volocopter via laid-off workforce. Vertical is reported to have hired over 100 engineers from these companies. Below is the VX4 by Vertical Aerospace. ***
