Electric air taxis may sound like a pipedream, but companies like Archer are in the process of testing models that they hope to begin producing at scale in 2025. Designed to be quiet and efficient, its current model can fly at speeds of 150 miles per hour and cover 60 miles per flight. With urban transport in mind, these air taxis are both greener and vastly more efficient than traditional vehicles.
Given the congestion and pollution issues that many cities are facing, it's easy to imagine such transport taking over. It’s also worth noting that although Archer plans to run them with human pilots initially, the company has automation as part of its long-term goals.
Other players exist in this space: EHang, a Chinese firm, flew its first aerial taxi in America in 2020. However, Archer has big backers and customers such as United Airlines (acting both as an investor and launch customer) and manufacturing partner Stellantis with whom it is mass-producing its flagship Midnight eVTOL aircraft.
There's certainly a growing demand for clean transport without sacrificing speed, but many barriers still remain in Archer's way as it must help to initiate a seismic shift in transportation infrastructure and behaviors to reach mass adoption. That being said, it has the funding behind it, raising close to $2 billion in post-IPO funding since 2021.
Freddie
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
