Vertical Aerospace and Evolito Join Forces for eVTOL Propulsion
Vertical Aerospace announced a strategic long-term partnership with UK-based Evolito on February 5, 2026. This partnership aims to supply electric propulsion units (EPUs) for its Valo commercial eVTOL aircraft, marking a significant milestone in the company’s path toward 2028 certification.
Under this agreement, Evolito will provide its advanced EPU architecture. This system features lightweight, efficient electric motors and high-integrity DAL-A power electronics integrated into a single electric engine. The design aims to deliver the extended range, high performance, and built-in redundancy required for Valo’s certification to safety standards equivalent to large commercial airliners.
The companies plan to jointly certify the electric propulsion units with the UK Civil Aviation Authority. They also aim for concurrent validation from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. Evolito, which already holds CAA Design Organisation Approval, joins Honeywell, Syensqo, and Aciturri as key suppliers on the Valo program.
“Vertical’s approach to Valo is grounded in rigorous engineering and certification discipline,” said David King, chief engineer at Vertical Aerospace. The partnership also supports Vertical’s planned hybrid-electric variant of Valo, scheduled to begin flight testing in mid-2026. Vertical Aerospace has approximately 1,500 pre-orders for Valo from customers including American Airlines, Avolon, Bristow, GOL, and Japan Airlines.
Chris McDonald, UK Industry Minister, welcomed the announcement, stating:
“This is a welcome win for Britain’s world-class aerospace sector, which will help us stay at the cutting edge of innovation and continue leading the way on zero emission flight.”
Source: AeroTime