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It seems like every automaker and new start-up wants to capitalize on the future of travel – personal urban aircrafts. First becoming a big thing in 2018, the Blackfly project seemed to be the first personal aircraft to make it off the ground. This was followed by the Airbus at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, and only sparked more interest in startups like Lilium, Airbus, Zunum Aero, and AirCar. It was only a matter of time before automakers took notice, and the Hyundai Motor Group (HMG) was one of the first, debuting its plans for urban aircrafts during the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show. Not too long ago, Stellantis joined the race with investments in Archer Aviation Inc. to build an electric flying taxi. Confident that Archer Aviation Inc. will be the first startup to enter the airwaves, Stellantis invested an additional $55 million in Archer on top of its initial $39 million investment.
Woof, that’s a lot of moola. With that kind of dough, Archer should have no problem with completing the construction of its high-volume manufacturing facility in Georgia this year (2024). A 350,000-square-foot facility built on a 100-acre site, this building will be able to support production of up to 650 aircraft annually. With that kind of production capacity, we can expect to see a lot of urban aircraft…on the road. Yes, Archer Aviation Inc. may be a leader in developing electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, but not even self-driving autonomous cars can get certified by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Do they really think the U.S. federal government will sign off on that?
Before we see any flying cars, companies will have to study films like the Fifth Element, Back to the Future, and Star Wars to create airway highways to control traffic. We can’t just have people flying all over the place. There will also have to be new rules. Right now, the average joe can sign up for a course to get their pilot license, and if that’s all it takes to get into the cockpit of an eVTOL, it’s a scary thought. We already have enough idiots getting behind the wheel while intoxicated – the results of a drunk flying an aircraft will be much worse than the film Flight¸ I assure you.
At least the joint venture between HMG and Uber will come with a fleet of licensed pilots for their new ride-hailing adventure. Yeah, move over Lyft – the new ride-hailing business is all about aircraft that can get consumers to where they want to go much faster. We’re not sure about the numbers, but HMG and Uber introduced project Skai back in 2019, and then debuted their own personal eVTOl aircraft by Supernal in 2022. When it comes to flight time, Supernal hasn’t reported anything, but Archer claims that the average 60-90-minute commutes by car will be replaced with an estimated 10-20-minute electric air taxi flight. Said to be safe, sustainable, low noise, and cost-competitive with ground transportation, not only can the average consumer afford an Archer Aviation eVTOL aircraft, but it will also be able to perform back-to-back flights in quick succession with minimal charge time between flights, and transport up to four people at once.
The future isn’t here quite yet, but it’s certainly on the horizon. Want to keep up with news on cool car tech and the future of transportation? Follow along with us on NowCar social media.