Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles have been developed to meet demand for urban mobility. Similar to helicopters, they are powered by an electric motor and can maneuver in a comparatively small space. Urban transit enterprises are partnering globally with manufacturers of eVTOLs to offer this mobility service.
The battery that drives the electric motor is a key component of any eVTOL. Albeit similar to electric car batteries, eVTOL batteries have specific requirements, such as weight. They must be light, whereas car batteries can be a good deal heavier.
A startup called Ocellott is developing a high-complexity component for this purpose with the support of FAPESP’s Innovative Research in Small Business Program (PIPE). “Besides this lightweight requirement, we have to surmount other hurdles, such as rapid charging, a long life cycle, and power capacity, among others,” says control and automation engineer Rodrigo Junqueira, the startup’s business director.
In his opinion, it will soon be possible to use an app to call a “flying car”, as can now be done on the surface with a ridesharing app. “It’s a new world that’s starting to take shape,” he says. “This isn’t simple. The market will face many challenges ahead. Batteries, for example: even the best technologies available don’t yet do the job satisfactorily.”
Ocellott aims to supply batteries to both eVTOL manufacturers and operators of transportation services. “The operators should be an even bigger market than the manufacturers,” Junqueira reckons. “When this component reaches the end of its life cycle and has to be replaced, for example, the operator will need to buy a new one. This could be one of our business models.”
Two years
The timeframe for eVTOLs to come to market is 2026, Junqueira predicts. “Vehicles of this type should already have been certified two years from now,” he says. “Even so, there are still many wrinkles to iron out. It’s not enough to create an eVTOL: you also need to define where and how it will be recharged, where it will land, how operators will be regulated, and so on. These difficulties will have to be resolved before the concept becomes popular.”
Junqueira imagines eVTOLs will probably be available as soon as 2026 but it will be a little longer for operations to be established. “The infrastructure required is complex and will take time to prepare,” he says.
Demand for Ocellott’s product is due to begin in 2026 as eVTOLs begin operating, even at low volume. Initially, it will probably be limited to the manufacturer and one or two early-adopter operators, increasing over time until it stabilizes. “We won’t produce on a huge scale like automakers that turn out millions of units per year, but nor will we produce as few units as a commercial aircraft manufacturer, who sell only a thousand units or so per year,” he says.
When the mass of operators increases, the market will grow exponentially. “Once it stabilizes, each eVTOL manufacturer will produce around 1,000 units per month. And there will also be a product substitution niche. Before long, say in five years’ time, or perhaps sooner, there will be a replacement market. It’s not very close, but it’s not far off either,” he says.
Human history shows that the creation of products often leads to the creation of needs. The smartphone is an example. Who could have said ten years ago that this device would be used to perform practically any daily task, without the need for a computer?
Although the market for urban mobility via eVTOLs does not yet exist, the existence of a solution may make it materialize. “The manufacturers are betting on this. The nearest thing right now is the market for helicopter services, except that ordinary people can’t afford them. The key difference is that eVTOL services are intended to be for the masses,” he says.
Internationalization
The name of the firm implies the intent to operate internationally, according to Junqueira. “It works well in many languages,” he says. “Also, an ocelot is a compact but highly agile and adaptable feline. As a firm, we’re agile in developing complex technologies in a very short time.”
It is only nine years old and has had offices abroad for three years. “We have two units in Florida, in the United States, and we’ve participated in international missions. The Brazilian market is small for the type of product we make, so it makes sense to pursue foreign markets,” he says.
The startup was one of several firms selected to participate in the business delegations to FAPESP Week China in June and FAPESP Week Italy in October.
Ocellott competes with traditional original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the aerospace industry, but most of these are not excited about eVTOLs. “They aren’t interested in this kind of product yet. This enables us to establish a market position. Moreover, our agility and competence give us a competitive edge,” Junqueira says.
The lack of interest is due to strong demand for conventional commercial and military aircraft. “Some countries have gigantic budgets for this area. For them, this is a very good time to stay in the area, so there’s plenty of room for new products that are relatively high-risk,” he notes.
Ocellott itself makes command and control products for the armed forces, not confining itself to batteries for eVTOLs. “We have a whole line of projects and products for military applications,” he says.
The startup specializes in designing, developing and manufacturing solutions for electrification and validation of aeronautical and radio frequency systems. “We began by offering consultancy to aircraft manufacturers to help them certify vehicles in compliance with electromagnetic compatibility requirements. It soon became clear, however, that it would be important for the firm to pivot to manufacturing,” he explains.
The first stage of this new trajectory entailed developing onboard systems for conventional aircraft. “Next we created other products, including the eVTOL battery. In this setting, FAPESP made a huge difference for us. Without its support we wouldn’t have had the financial staying power to advance at the speed we’ve achieved,” he says.