Embraer Signs Agreement with Portugal’s EDP to Develop 100% Electric Airplane

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Brazilian company Embraer, the world’s third-largest aircraft manufacturer, announced on Friday, November 20th, an agreement with the local subsidiary of Portuguese energy company EDP for the research and development of an electric aircraft.

Embraer released a statement saying that the first test flight of the electric aircraft prototype is scheduled for 2021.

“Through EDP’s Smart division, the multinational of Portuguese origin announced a financial contribution for the acquisition of an energy storage and recharging technology solution for the aircraft, with 100 percent electric propulsion, which will use the EMB-2013 Ipanema as a testing platform,” the statement said.

Embraer’s vice president of Engineering and Corporate Strategy, Luis Carlos Affonso, said that Brazilian aeronautics has a history of strategic partnerships.

“It is one of the Brazilian companies that most stimulates global knowledge networks, which allow for a significant increase in the country’s competitiveness,” said Affonso.

The president of EDP in Brazil, Miguel Setas, said that the Portuguese energy company “is leading a transition to a low-carbon economy,” and that the alliance with Embraer “represents a new form of our investment in electric mobility, helping to position Brazil as a leading player in this market.”

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