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AN air taxi service that could cut an hour-long journey into seven minutes is one step closer to lifting off, thanks to a massive investment by Toyota.
Joby Aviation is moments away from creating the first aerial ridesharing service powered by hydrogen and electricity thanks to eye-watering checks from the automaker.
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On Wednesday, Toyota announced it was sinking a whopping $500 million into the aviation company, bringing its total investment to $894 million.
The money will be used to certify and produce the first-of-its-kind hydrogen electric aircraft, which can fly hundreds of miles while expelling only water vapor.
Joby’s CEO, JoeBen Bevirt, celebrated the deal as he seeks to expand access to air travel while cutting harmful emissions.
“Today’s investment builds on nearly seven years of collaboration between our companies,” he said.
“The knowledge and support shared by Toyota has been instrumental in Joby’s success and we look forward to deepening our relationship as we deliver on our shared vision for the future of air travel.”
So far, Joby has shocked the aviation world by launching its stylish five-seat taxis that zoom through the air using massive propellers.
Six electric motors propel the aircraft up to 200 miles per hour, making little to no noise and having a stunning, roomy interior.
More than 30,000 miles have been flown on full-scale prototypes, and the company is working with the FAA to get commercially certified.
Altogether, the experience is said to feel “more like getting into an SUV than boarding a plane.”
Using Joby’s services, an hour-long commute from New York City’s Manhattan to the John F Kennedy Airport can be cut down to seven minutes.
In July, Joby flexed its latest model by making a shocking 523-mile trip with fuel to spare in California.
At the time, Bevirt proclaimed that the hydrogen-electric plane could make 99% of all trips across New York City’s five boroughs today.
According to Erik Allison, Joby’s chief product officer, its services will soon be available in select cities.
“You’ll open up our app, or you’ll open up Uber from wherever you are in a city where our service is active, and you’ll just say where you want to go,” Allison told NBC affiliate KNTV.
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The global race for flying taxis
THE global race for flying taxis, or urban air mobility (UAM), is highly competitive, with numerous companies developing electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and related technologies.
The competition is driving rapid advancements in the field, with many of these players aiming to launch commercial operations within the next few years.
As well as Wisk Aero, here are some of the prominent players in this space:
JOBY AVIATION – Santa Cruz, California, USA: Joby Aviation is one of the leading companies in the eVTOL space. It has received significant investment from Toyota and has partnered with Uber. Joby aims to launch an aerial ridesharing service.
VOLOCOPTER – Bruchsal, Germany: Volocopter develops electric helicopters designed for urban air mobility. The Volocopter 2X and VoloCity are their flagship models. The company has conducted test flights in various cities, including Singapore and Dubai.
LILIUM – Munich, Germany: Lilium is developing the Lilium Jet, a five-seat eVTOL aircraft. The company aims to create a regional air mobility network. Lilium has raised substantial funding and has conducted several successful test flights.
ARCHER AVIATION – Palo Alto, California, USA: Archer is focused on developing a fully electric air taxi. The company has a partnership with United Airlines and plans to launch commercial operations by 2024.
EHANG – Guangzhou, China: EHang develops autonomous aerial vehicles (AAVs) for passenger and logistics transportation. The EHang 216 is a notable model that has been tested in various cities worldwide.
EMBRAERX (EVE AIR MOBILITY) – São José dos Campos, Brazil: Eve Air Mobility, a subsidiary of Embraer, is developing eVTOL aircraft and urban air traffic management solutions. The company aims to leverage Embraer’s aerospace expertise to advance UAM.
HYUNDAI URBAN AIR MOBILITY (SUPERNAL) – South Korea / USA: Hyundai is actively developing eVTOL aircraft through its Supernal division. The company envisions integrating air taxis into urban transportation networks.
BELL TEXTRON – Fort Worth, Texas, USA: Bell is developing the Nexus 4EX, an eVTOL aircraft designed for urban air mobility. Bell has a long history in helicopter manufacturing and aims to apply this expertise to the UAM sector.
TAKE TO THE SKIES
Joby is just one of many companies looking to take control of the incoming air taxi business.
Volocoptor, a German company, has created two flagship aircraft models and is conducting testing in Singapore in Dubai.
Bell Textron is another US company designing air taxis, and its long history of designing helicopters gives it an edge.
Like Toyota, Hyundai is entering air taxi services with its own aircraft through its Supernal division.
Plus, Boeing’s self-driving flying taxis are set to hit the skies by 2030 and alleviate some traffic congestion.
And Chinese brand EHang has developed notable models that are already being used in the country.
