• ideal for private jet users, connecting airports to the city center
• the number of start-ups producing flying taxis is increasing
• there are at least five ready to market their flying taxis within two or three years
• these are electric vehicles with vertical take-off
• their autonomy rarely exceeds 100 km, with speeds between 200 and 300 km / h
• significant funding, partnerships and orders are on the cards
• There are plenty of start-ups that are on the verge of marketing eVTOL (electric Vertical Take Off and Landing) within two years.
A sector in full swing
Morgan Stanley predicts that the flying taxi market will reach a turnover of 1.5 trillion dollars by 2040. To give an idea, the gross domestic product of France is about 2.5 trillion dollars in 2020. A dozen cities in the world have already adopted plans for the construction of urban airports.
The involvement of industrial giants
Volkswagen, along with Daimler, Hyundai, Airbus and the Chinese giant Geely Automobile, owner of Volvo, are considering the possibility of producing flying cars. We often talk about flying taxis, since more than selling to individuals, the protagonists of these sectors plan to offer public transport services via vertical take-off flying vehicles. Hyundai has even partnered with Uber to build flying taxis.
Lilium jet
Having finalized contracts for the construction of two urban airports for flying taxis, the German start-up Lilium Jet, which has already raised funds for 1 billion euros and is considering an IPO, has plans to build 10 urban airports in Florida, in partnership with Spanish infrastructure builders Ferrovial.
Archer’s flying taxis
This Californian start-up has received a billion-dollar order from the American airline United Airlines, to purchase around 100 flying taxis. Archer has also entered into a partnership with Stellantis, the parent company of PSA and Fiat Chrysler, to plan the large-scale production of its e-VTOLs.
Joby Aviation
Joby Aviation will launch a flying taxi that will speed 200 miles per hour, or 336 km / h, with a range of 150 miles, so over 150 km. It just bought Uber Elevate, so he’s a partner of Hubert and Toyota, which has invested $ 1 billion in the business.
Ehang 184 and Volocopter
The Chinese flying taxi manufacturer E-ang 184 will set up an R&D center and a test site in Lyon, France. About fifty jobs will be created over three years. Its flying taxis are already flying and the state of Nevada plans to certify it soon. Volocopter is very close to commercialization. Volocopter, Airbus and Safran will participate in the development of a sector in France for the moment of flying taxis.
