Coming soon: flying taxis

Forget about Uber, flying taxis will soon be taking to the air!

Flying taxis are taking off – literally. United Airlines has just announced a US$15 million (about R256 million) investment in Eve Air Mobility, a company that is dedicated to accelerating the urban air mobility (UAM) ecosystem. United has signed a conditional purchase agreement for 200 four-seat electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOLs), plus an option on another 200 aircraft. The first deliveries are expected as early as 2026.

This is one of many eVTOL orders. New research from Revolution Aero, which monitors the eVTOL sector, reveals that the industry has already secured over 4 600 orders. It estimates that just over 1 000 of these were made pre-2021, with around 1 950 orders in 2021 and approximately 1 650 orders so far this year.

According to Revolution Aero, orders for eVTOLs have come from 19 countries. Over 1 940 orders have come from organisations based in the US, followed by 1 000 eVTOLs scheduled to be delivered to Canada. Over 600 are destined for Europe and more than 370 will be heading to Asia. Deliveries are expected to be made from 2024 onwards.

Airbus is also exploring the potential of eVTOLs. It has partnered with helicopter operator Hiratagakuen to develop and test potential routes for its CityAirbus NextGen eVTOL aircraft to use in Japan.

The United deal is particularly noteworthy because of the size of the order. According to Michael Leskinen, president of United Airlines Ventures (UAV), the company has made history by becoming the first major airline to publicly invest in two eVTOL companies. “Our agreement with Eve highlights our confidence in the urban air mobility market and serves as another important benchmark toward our goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050 – without using traditional offsets. Together, we believe our suite of clean energy technologies will revolutionise air travel as we know it and serve as the catalyst for the aviation industry to move toward a sustainable future,” he expands.

UAV is designed to support the company’s 100% green commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050 without the use of traditional offsets. Through UAV, United has led the industry in investments in eVTOL and electric aircraft, hydrogen fuel cell engines, and sustainable aviation fuel. Last month, United gave a $10 million (R171 million) deposit to Archer, a California-based eVTOL company, for 100 aircraft.

Rather than relying on traditional combustion engines, eVTOL aircraft are designed to use electric motors, providing carbon-free flights. Eve’s design uses conventional fixed wings, rotors, and pushers, giving it a practical and intuitive lift-plus-cruise design favouring safety, efficiency, reliability, and certifiability. With a range of 100 km, this vehicle has the potential not only to offer a sustainable commute but also to reduce noise levels by 90% compared to current conventional aircraft. Eve is also creating a new air traffic management solution designed for the UAM industry.

Alasdair Whyte, co-founder of Revolution Aero, says it is estimated that the global eVTOL market will be worth around $8.5 billion (R145 billion) by 2025. This is expected to grow to $30.8 billion (R526 billion) by 2030 and it is noteworthy that eVTOLs won’t only transport people, but will also be used to transport cargo.