eVTOL / Air Taxi Updates

Well the cool Sci-Fi future we all dreamed about as kids is developing.

As a kid I dreamed of flying cars to make life fully enjoyable. You may know them as electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles. However, you will probably be more comfortable calling them Air Taxis. Just last week Saudi Arabia ordered 100 Air Taxis From German Startup Lilium.  So, Flying taxi's will be a reality in the Oil Kingdom and thus coming true. Wondering how the Saudi's envision eVTOLs playing a role in their Noem Dream? Will the eVTOLs be involved in unmanned Cargo Drone deliveries?   Not familiar with this mega project dream? Read about it Saudi Arabia's Neom dream

And back in the USA Southwest Airlines has signed a deal with Archer Aviation to develop plans for an on-demand eVTOL) service in California. 
The service will operate using Archer's battery-powered, four-passenger, tilt-rotor Midnight aircraft, which are designed to take off and land vertically from a landing strip like a helicopter. As part of the deal, the aircraft will get access to 14 California airports where Southwest operates.  Archer stated that trips that normally take 60-90 minutes by car can be done in 10-20 minutes in the company's air taxis. As part of the deal, Archer will work with Southwest and its partners on the development of an air taxi network across California. 

Joby Aviation tested hydrogen powered eVTOL for 523-mile regional flight

The 40kg tank powered six electric motors for this regional test flight and the only byproduct was water vapor. A major milestone hit just last month! Did this hit mainstream media, nope.

The top eVTOL vendors are: Listed in no particular order

• Lilium - a UK based Vertical Aerospace firm
• Joby Aviation US based which is the largest at this point in this developing market
• Kelekona an NYC-based startup is planning to offer larger density electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL).
• Archer Aviation
• XTIAerospace
• Tesla with their now delayed eVTOL Helicopter

Will they accept Crypto?

 I was not able to find anything leading me to think they have thought through accepting Crypto. However, there is still time for them to lay the groundwork for such forward thinking

Need to get up to snuff quickly on eVTOL / Air Taxi's? Here are my older posts:

• FAA Prepares US For Flying Taxi Operations By 2028 Aug 2023
• Switchblade - sky vehicle Aug 2022
• US Flying Car Era Begins July 2022
• Worlds First Vertiport opens in UK May 2022
• Passenger Drone Bus & Taxi Services June 2021
• Flying Taxi's coming to Orlando, FL Nov 2020

Summary

eVTOLs are the transformative trajectory for the Sci-Fi future. With replacement use cases for aging Helicopters, Air based ambulances can directly alleviate CO2 injection into atmosphere and other benefits.  Buckle up because the future is gonna be great.

Disclaimer - I am not an employee nor an agent of Lilium, Joby Aviation nor Kelekona. Nor am I an investor in any of these offerings.