The start-up Vaeridion from Munich wants to build small electric aircraft with space for two pilots and nine passengers. In contrast to the numerous electric vertical take-off concepts, Vaeridion’s electric aircraft is designed to take off and land like an ordinary aeroplane.
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Bavarian electric air taxi startup Lilium has entered into a partnership with Honeywell and Denso to jointly develop and produce the electric motor for the Lilium Jet, whose market launch has been postponed to 2025.
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To advance the development of electric air transport, a number of companies, universities and research institutions as well as municipalities and organisations have joined forces to form the Air Mobility Initiative (AMI).
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In the UK, Urban-Air Port is opening “Air-One”, the showcase of a fully-operational hub for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles and autonomous cargo drones.
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US electric aerial vehicle developer Beta Technologies has raised US$375 million from investors in its latest Series B funding round. Beta intends to use the funds to further develop its electric aerial system.
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ZeroAvia, a company that specialises in hydrogen flights, has announced a new partnership with ZEV Station to develop green hydrogen refuelling infrastructure. The companies will work together on developing a regional airport to showcase the feasibility of hydrogen-powered commercial flights.
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Japanese automakers Suzuki and SkyDrive have announced a partnership for the commercialization of flying cars. SkyDrive is a Japanese manufacturer of flying cars and is currently developing a compact, two-seating electric-powered flying car with plans for full-scale production.
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The Bavarian electric aerial taxi start-up Lilium has postponed its planned market launch by one year. Instead of 2024, the electric vertical take-off is now expected to be approved in 2025 and thus begin commercial operation.
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Hydrogen aviation company HyPoint has agreed on a deal with Gloyer-Taylor Laboratories (GTL), an aerospace engineering firm. HyPoint will integrate GTL’s ultra-light carbon tanks into its aeroplane fuel cell system, and numbers suggest the combination could dramatically increase range.
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German e-flight taxi developer Volocopter has conducted the first manned eVTOL flight in France. The flight was part of a week-long test series to evaluate noise emissions.
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The eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) start-up Joby Aviation has completed the first system tests and compliance checks by the Federal Aviation Administration and received the approvals. The company, therefore, feels that its development approach has been validated and intends to continue working on the product design.
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The US conglomerate Textron, which produces Cessna and Beechcraft aircraft, is acquiring the Slovenian electric aircraft manufacturer Pipistrel. Upon completion of the transaction, Textron plans to form a new business unit called Textron eAviation for the development of sustainable aircraft.
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Electric flight taxi developer Lilium has reached a memorandum of understanding on a far-reaching strategic partnership with business aviation company NetJets. This provides options for up to 150 Lilium aircraft for NetJets. In addition, NetJets wants to support Lilium in expanding its business in the USA and Europe.
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German electric air taxi developer Volocopter has raised €153Mn in the first signing of its Series E funding round led by South Korean investor WP Investment. Volocopter expects that the new capital will accelerate the certification of their electric passenger air cab and its launch in initial cities.
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Electric aerial taxi manufacturer Eve Urban Air Mobility Solutions, a subsidiary of Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer, has received two orders for a total of up to 90 eVTOLs from Australia. Aviair and HeliSpirit are ordering up to 50 electric aircraft from Eve and Microflite up to 40.
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US aircraft manufacturer Boeing has invested a further $450 million in Wisk Aero, the joint venture between Kitty Hawk and Boeing to develop electric aerial taxis. The investment is intended to further the development of Wisk’s sixth-generation eVTOL and fund preparations for the start of series production.
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The Danish government has announced its intention to make all domestic flights free of fossil fuels by 2030. By 2025 at the latest, the first domestic flights in Denmark are to start using “green” fuel.
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Britain’s electric air taxi startup Vertical Aerospace made its debut on the New York Stock Exchange on Friday after a blank-check SPAC deal valued at $2.2 billion got the go-ahead. It injects the company with 300 million in cash and has Vertical Aerospace looking to set up shop, perhaps in Ireland.
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ZeroAvia, a company specialising in electric aircraft propulsion, has raised another $35 million from investors. ZeroAvia also announced several new collaborations, most notably with United Airlines.
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Volocopter is to supply electric flying machines for the planned city of Neom in Saudi Arabia. The partners have formed a joint venture to build an eVTOL mobility system. Neom has placed an order for 15 Volocopter flying machines and plans to begin flight operations within the next two to three years.
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Several French aviation and transport industry players have opened a test centre for sustainable urban air mobility at the Pontoise-Cormeilles airfield just outside the French capital Paris. Trials of eVTOLs from several manufacturers are now beginning there.
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The German engine manufacturer MTU Aero Engines is committed to creating new standards, certification regulations and verification procedures for fuel cell systems in aviation. To this end, MTU is now working closely with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
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The fledgling electric aircraft developer Airflow from California wants to commercialise its first model from 2025. The company, founded in 2019, calls its model eSTOL and wants to rely on hybrid and battery-electric as well as fuel cell systems for its propulsion.
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Hyundai Motor Group has unveiled its new company called Supernal. The establishment of the subsidiary is related to Hyundai’s increased involvement in its Urban Air Mobility business, which aims to advance the group’s vision of future mobility in urban environments.
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US start-up Wright Electric has announced plans for a 100-seat fully-electric regional jet that could take off from 2026. The electric aeroplane, named Wright Spirit, is an electric-powered version of the BAe 146 regional jet originally manufactured by BAE Systems.
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Zero-emission flight specialist ZeroAvia has scored two new partnerships, most strikingly with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries RJ Aviation Group (MHIRJ). They intend to develop fuel cell-powered regional jets, including retrofit solutions. There’s also news from Alaska Airlines.
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The Israeli flying car start-up Air has presented its first electric flying machine, the Air One. This is an all-electric two-seater eVTOL that is to be sold mainly in the USA from 2024. Pre-orders for the model are already being taken.
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HT Aero, the flying car offshoot of Chinese electric car manufacturer Xpeng, has raised more than half a billion US dollars from a number of investors in its Series A funding round.
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The US hydrogen aviation specialist HyPoint has signed a strategic development agreement with BASF New Business (BNB), a subsidiary of the chemical company BASF. The aim is to develop and test a new proton-conductive Celtec membrane.
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Electric air taxi manufacturer Eve Urban Air Mobility Solutions is partnering with private aircraft operator Avantto to develop an urban air mobility ecosystem for Latin America. The partnership also includes an order for 100 eVTOL air taxis, with deliveries scheduled to begin in 2026.
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