Japanese eVTOL manufacturer SkyDrive and Kansai Electric Power Company (KEPCO) have jointly developed electric charging facilities for eVTOLs.
The partners will install and operate the electric charging facilities in Osaka, Kansai, for the World Expo 2025.
With the mission of ‘taking the lead in the once-in-a-century mobility revolution’, SkyDrive is developing an affordable access eVTOL aircraft for daily mass transportation. The Toyota, Aichi Prefecture-based company has been selected to participate in the Advanced Air Mobility Smart Mobility Expo Project at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan where it will fly its SkyDrive (*3) eVTOL aircraft. KEPCO is developing charging facilities for eVTOLs and studying support for the installation of electric power infrastructure at the eVTOL vertiport with a view to entering the charging infrastructure business.
In 2022, SkyDrive entered into a capital and business alliance agreement with KEPCO, which led to the joint research and development of advanced charging facilities needed for the practical implementation of eVTOLs. These facilities enable rapid charging with high current and voltage, minimising turnaround times and ensuring seamless, profitable operations. In addition, the design allows easy scalability, paving the way for expanded global applications.
The first charging facilities will be installed at the flight test facility by year’s end, to support SkyDrive’s flight test programme. A further facility will be established at the eVTOL vertiport on Yumeshima Island for the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai.
Image: SkyDrive (a concept of the SkyDrive eVTOL and charging infrastructure)
