Electric air taxis are coming to the U.S., and they could help clean up your commute. A new deal between Eve Air Mobility and Future Flight Global is granting 54 eVTOL — electric vertical takeoff and landing — aircraft to the U.S. and Brazilian markets, AeroTime reported.
The partnership helps promote and scale cleaner transportation in the skies. eVTOLs are designed to zip over congested streets to cut travel time in urban areas, but in an efficient way that reduces noise and pollution from gas-powered vehicles.
"This … is a significant step forward for Urban Air Mobility in the Americas," said Megha Bhatia, Chief Commercial Officer at Eve Air Mobility, per AeroTime.
Unlike gas-powered helicopters or planes, eVTOLs are entirely electric aircraft. This means they have zero tailpipe emissions and lower maintenance costs, as they don't require traditional oil changes or fuel fill-ups. Therefore, riders may eventually see lower overall costs using eVTOLs compared to owning and commuting with a vehicle daily or riding in a helicopter.
Also, their cleaner operation may help lower some of the consequences of living in urban environments, like excessive noise and weakened respiratory health from air pollution.
eVTOLs are still a developing technology, so don't expect their fleets to become more widespread overnight. However, the tech is growing rapidly, potentially allowing eVTOLs to become mainstream by the 2030s, as estimated by Deloitte. Several companies are working on bringing eVTOLs into your daily commute, including the German EDAG Group and Austrian aviation company CycloTech.
For now, the U.S. and Brazil will be among the first to test out eVTOLs in everyday travel. But the CEO of Future Flight Global, Karan Singh, expects the company to expand into other high-demand regions "in the near future," per AeroTime.
Until eVTOLs come your way, you can still experience the benefits of cleaner travel if you make your next car an EV.
While critics note that EVs still require element mining for their battery production, the impact is roughly 30 million tons of minerals annually compared to the ~16.5 billion tons of fossil fuels extracted each year, according to Sustainability by Numbers. And EVs produce no tailpipe pollution, helping to keep your neighborhood, the environment, and your lungs healthy.
You can further decrease your carbon footprint and save more money by installing solar panels — using solar energy to charge your EV is cheaper than public charging stations or relying on the grid. EnergySage can help you compare quotes from local vetted installers and save you up to $10,000 on solar installations.
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Switching from gas-powered energy and transportation to electric is a powerful move for a brighter future. According to AeroTime, Bhatia said, "By leveraging Eve's proven eVTOL technology and robust certification process, Future Flight Global gains a powerful platform to deliver efficient, sustainable air travel in high-demand markets such as Brazil and the United States."
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