Canadian start-up EVIO is emerging from the shadows with an ambitious project: the EVIO 810, a 76-seat hybrid-electric regional aircraft aiming to enter service in the early 2030s. Backed by Boeing and Pratt & Whitney Canada, the programme already boasts 450 conditional purchase commitments and aims to tackle one of the most fragile segments of commercial aviation.
An ambitious project
Montreal-based EVIO Inc. has officially launched its first aircraft programme with a clear promise: to modernise regional transport by combining partial electrification, reduced operating costs and operational continuity. The EVIO 810 is not a futuristic concept intended for experimental niches, but an aircraft designed to replace, in the long term, a large proportion of ageing turboprops and regional jets.
The manufacturer claims to have secured around 250 conditional purchase agreements with two major airlines by 2023, with a further 200 options. This volume immediately places the programme in a category other than that of start-ups still at the demonstrator stage. The stated aim is to enter service in the early 2030s, in a regional market looking for credible solutions to rising costs and environmental constraints.
Hybrid architecture designed for the real world
The EVIO 810 is based on a « strong hybrid » architecture. It is built around four under-wing propulsion units combining a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6E turboprop engine and an electric motor. Electric power is supplied by a battery system, enabling the aircraft to taxi and fly entirely electrically. Particularly over short distances of up to a hundred nautical miles. On longer routes, the aircraft operates in hybrid mode, with an announced range of up to 500 nautical miles. The core mission, however, is aimed at regional routes of 200 to 300 nm, which account for most of the world’s regional traffic.
By limiting turbine operating time, EVIO promises a significant reduction in fuel consumption, mechanical wear and maintenance costs. All while reducing emissions compared with current aircraft. In addition to propulsion, the manufacturer is also promoting a cabin that is wider than that of conventional regional jets, designed to enhance the passenger experience. The energy architecture is also designed to be available in cargo or defence versions, with power supply capacities adapted to surveillance or logistical support missions.
A regional market in need of solutions
EVIO is targeting a 50-100 seat segment often described as ‘orphaned’. In five years, the world fleet of regional aircraft has shrunk considerably, with some 2,650 aircraft withdrawn and only 750 delivered. At the same time, demand for routes of less than 500 miles remains structurally strong, accounting for almost half of the world’s daily flights. The start-up estimates that more than 5,000 regional aircraft will need to be replaced over the next twenty years. Against this backdrop, the EVIO 810 is positioned as an intermediate alternative between small 100% electric aircraft, limited by range, and traditional turboprops, with its business model under pressure.
Boeing’s support is consistent with this approach. The American aircraft manufacturer sees it as a way of exploring hybrid-electric technologies in the regional segment without immediately launching a new in-house programme, while at the same time strengthening the Canadian aeronautical ecosystem. Pratt & Whitney Canada, for its part, is using the programme as a showcase for the hybridisation of its PT6E family and for the mastery of energy management on a large scale.
Industrial credibility and future challenges
EVIO’s governance is made up of experienced profiles from major programmes such as the Airbus A220 and the F-35. This team, combined with commercial commitments and industrial partnerships, gives the project greater credibility than many electric aviation initiatives, which are still very theoretical. Nevertheless, the challenges are considerable. The certification of a complex hybrid architecture, the ramp-up of industrial production and the financing of development up to entry into service will be decisive.
Regional airlines, historically cautious, will be waiting for solid guarantees in terms of reliability, support and real operating costs. The EVIO 810 nevertheless illustrates a pragmatic approach to the partial decarbonisation of regional aviation. Without promising ‘zero emissions’, it seeks to significantly reduce the carbon footprint where the impact can be immediate and measurable. If the programme lives up to its promise, it could become one of the first truly industrialised hybrid-electric regional aircraft in the 70-80 seat class, and reshape the economics of a sector that is currently undergoing radical change.
Sources: www.flightglobal.com – aeromorning.com – www.businesswire.com – www.ainonline.com – evio.aero
