Dutch Electric Aircraft Startup Maeve Aerospace Unveils $3.6 million Funding
Maeve Aerospace has secured funding of €3.4 million ($3.6 million) for the development of its electric aircraft. The investment is one of the largest private investments of its kind in a fully electric aircraft.
The Netherlands-based startup company, formerly known as Venturi Aviation, also took the opportunity to unveil its new name and to reiterate its mission of enabling 100 % sustainable regional air travel.
Maeve Aerospace’s plans for electric flying
Maeve Aerospace is developing an electric 44-seat aircraft, known as Maeve 01, with a flight range of up to 550 km (340 miles). The company aims to have the aircraft in the skies by 2028, and Maeve 01 would be the world’s first all-electric commuter aircraft for the mainstream aviation market.
Plans for the aircraft were initially filed in January this year, and this sizeable investment now means that the company can begin to build its first prototypes.
Maeve Aerospace co-founder and COO, Joost Dieben, said,
“The time of planning is behind us. We are now progressing in development of the core technology needed in any future electric aircraft – a portable, lightweight and safe battery pack. With this technology, we will be able to make an impact in aviation.”
The investment marks a new era of development
Up to now, Maeve Aerospace’s primary focus has been on exploring the feasibility of electric aviation. After having secured the investment, it can now move on to further developing the core technology behind electric flying, such as the battery system. Using the company’s Maeve ReCharge network, the Maeve 01 aircraft is planned to recharge within 35 minutes, allowing airlines to operate with quick turnaround times.
The company’s co-founder and CEO, Jan Willem Heinen, explained,
“The rate of advancements in battery technology is an area that we feel that we can start capitalizing on very soon.”
To assist with the development, Maeve Aerospace is now growing its team to 24 employees, and is looking to expand to future locations outside its main base in Delft, the Netherlands, to further support the development of its first aircraft.
Electric flying – the future of sustainable aviation?
Sustainability has become one of the main priorities for the aviation industry over recent years. Electric flying is one way to reduce dependence on traditional aviation fuel and therefore reduce CO2 emissions.
Heinen went on to reiterate the key benefits of electric flying, stating,
“Electric flying does not emit any CO2 or NOx, reduces noise pollution by -40% and is ultimately cheaper to operate.”
Hydrogen-powered aircraft are one of the alternative options to electric flying being studied by a number of companies, including ZeroAvia. Even existing aircraft can be modified to reduce their CO2 emissions, for example with the use of Electric Green Taxi Systems.
Click here for Simple Flying’s analysis of electric vs hydrogen aircraft.
Maeve Aerospace, or Venturi Aviation as it was known at the time, was founded in September 2020 by Jan Willem Heinen and Joost Dieben, and is based in Delft, the Netherlands. The company believes that electric flying is the solution for the aviation of the future.
Do you agree? What do you think of Maeve Aerospace’s ambitious plans? Share your thoughts by commenting below.
Discover more aviation news here.