Tag Archives: eVTOL

Fully-electric CityAirbus NextGen eVTOL makes pilotless take-off debut in Germany

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On the road to a future of aircrafts that consume lesser fuel, are low maintenance, and have no carbon emissions; electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles will play a significant role. Such aircrafts are in their infancy as of now, so the news of an eVTOL making its take-off debut in Germany is a big milestone.

The CityAirbus NextGen eVTOL which has begun its official flight test campaign in Donauwörth, Germany, made the first remarkable unmanned lift-off around November 6, 2024, at the said Airbus facility. Unveiled in March 2024, this fully-electric eVTOL is part of Airbus Helicopters Advanced Air Mobility mission to produce eVTOL personal air vehicles alongside, UTM services, and vertiports.

Desginer: Airbus CityAirbus

The news about the flight test and the debut take-off of the NextGen eVTOL was announced via X by Airbus Helicopters’ Bruno Even. In his post, the CEO wrote, “I’m happy to share that the #CityAirbus NextGen flight test campaign in Donauwörth, Germany has started with a first lift-off. A big thank you to all our teams who have contributed to this important step in the marathon that is Advanced Air Mobility.”

The eVTOL features a large 12-meter wingspan, the wings are fixed and its tail has a distinct V shape. The four-seater electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle prototype – with the seating capacity of one pilot and three passengers with their luggage – can cruise 80 km on a single charge at the speed of 120 kmph.

The aircraft is made from carbon fiber composite material that makes it robust and lightweight. It is propelled by eight electric-powered propellers as part of its distributed propulsion system, which along with other features would ensure it is not only used for private and commercial flying (as a heli taxi) but would also assist in medical use cases and the promotion of eco-tourism. Airbus suggests this is the first eVTOL in a series of prototype aircrafts the company intends to produce. With the advancement of battery density, such aircrafts would surely have a longer range and become a common sight over sprawling cities.

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Blackird demonstrator may show the future of flying cars

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If you think that we’re still decades away from having flying cars traversing the atmosphere, you’ve probably not kept up with the latest news in aviation. While we still probably won’t see any by next year, there are a lot of companies working on testing out their respective technologies when it comes to developing electric flying vehicles. An Austrian startup is looking at letting a demonstrator fly by next year.

Designer: CycloTech

CycloTech is developing the Blackbird demonstrator that will be using a new propulsion system that will hopefully revolutionize how we will be looking at the potential of flying cars. The CycloRotor technology is the only system right now that can control the thrust vector in a full circular path (360°). This means it can brake and stop in mid-air, which will eventually be important when our airspace becomes busy.

The six 7th generation CycloRotors that will be part of the demonstrator will be able to do vertical take-off and landing and also have control in all directions. It will even be able to do parallel parking and mid-air braking/deceleration. Passengers will be able travel comfortably as the flight path and aircraft orientation will give them a stable flight even if they may encounter turbulence.

As a nervous flyer, I probably will not be falling in line to try this out when it will become commercially available. There are still a lot of safety issues that they will have to overcome but having six CycloRotors in the flying car may be a step towards safety as it can ensure the vehicle will continue to fly in case there’s an engine failure. They’re already looking at the first quarter of 2025 for the first flight of the electrically powered demonstrator. It looks nothing like what they’re envisioning the eventual flying car to be like though. For now, the demonstrator looks like a drone but eventually we’ll get the Jetsons-like flying cars of our dreams.

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Top 5 Exciting Automotive Designs of August 2024: Electric Motorcycles, Flying Cars, and More

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We love a few menacing automotive designs—whether they’re powerful cars or sleek and fast e-scooters. In August, we saw an avalanche of fast, super cool, and one-of-a-kind automotive designs at Yanko Design. From killer speed to dashing good looks to impenetrable safety standards, every vehicle we featured at YD broke some design barrier for us, and hopefully, they did the same for you. Hence, we’ve curated a collection of automotive designs that we feel were the best of the lot. From NASCAR’s first electric racecar to a unique electric motor with a pedal drive—these automotive designs are a pleasure to see!

1. Twike 5

Designed by automaker TWIKE GmbH, the Twike 5 is a pedal hybrid vehicle intended for those who want a sustainable mode of transportation. It is a three-wheel trike, equipped with one wheel in the front and two at the back. This innovative vehicle combines an electric motor with a pedal drive. It is a two-seat trike, weighing around 600 kilograms, and it can reach speeds of up to 190 kilometers per hour. It can travel up to 500 kilometers on a single charge.

2. Pure x McLaren Special Edition E-Scooter

Designed by Pure Electric, this is an official McLaren edition e-scooter. This e-scooter is designed to change urban transport for good. It is a foldable commuter with electric motor power and an improved range. It features the signature papaya color and a deep black finish. It offers 710 watts of peak power for enhanced acceleration, as well as better performance on hills. It can cover a range of 31 miles on a full charge, which is great if you’re someone who commutes the city in one go.

 3. Xpeng AeroHT eVTOL Flying Car

Called the Xpeng AeroHT eVTOL Flying Car, this eVTOL flying car is designed and developed by the AeroHT electric aviation wing of the Chinese auto company XPeng. Unlike most traditional ideas found on the market, this modular flying car has a unique and different approach, featuring a two-part design—one part car and the other an eVTOL, allowing it to seamlessly switch between land and aerial modes.

4. NASCAR Electric Racecar Prototype

NASCAR debuted their first prototype electric racecar at the Chicago Street Race. The car’s limit was tested at the Martinsville Speedway in Virginia, and it is just two-tenths away from the average time of a V8-powered NASCAR racer. The electric racer is amped with twice the acceleration and commendable braking ability, but its weight causes limitations on the corners, as it cannot go faster. Currently, the vehicle is being tested as much as possible without damaging any of the hardware.

5. The MP4/4 Special Edition E-scooter

Pure Electric designed the MP4/4 Special Edition e-scooter, inspired by the form of the McLaren team’s Formula 1 car driven by Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna. The e-scooter is amped with speedy performance and showcases the famous color-blocked red and white livery. It delivers a stable, sturdy, and controlled e-ride experience, powered by a 710W peak power output and a 31 mph range. It is an excellent ride for hill climbing and acceleration, as it doesn’t consume too much battery power.

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The Low-Noise Low-Cost Midnight eVTOL is hoping to make commercial flights as soon as 2025

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Drawing inspiration from the golden age of air travel, Archer Aviation has channeled the exhilaration and awe of early flight adventures into a modern commute solution. The experience onboard Midnight is tailored to reignite the thrill of flying, with each design element carefully crafted to enhance passenger experience. Features like panoramic windows offer unobstructed views of the urban expanse, transforming a routine journey into an exploratory adventure.

Designer: Archer Aviation

The core of Midnight’s appeal lies in its operational efficacy. Designed for quick, consecutive trips up to 20 minutes long with minimal recharge times, it embodies efficiency. The aircraft offers an integral component of future urban landscapes, promising a shift from hour-long car commutes to swift, serene air travels. Such a transformation is pivotal, not just for saving time but in reducing urban congestion and environmental impact, aligning with broader sustainability goals.

However, the journey to this innovation was not without its challenges. The integration of advanced aerospace composites, crucial for the aircraft’s lightweight and strength, exemplifies the meticulous attention to technical detail. This synergy of form and function is evident in every aspect of the Midnight, from its distinctive vertical nose light, reminiscent of luxury automotive brands, to its sleek, aerodynamic shape that promises both performance and visual allure.

Originating in Gainesville Florida back in 2018 and subsequently moving its base to Silicon Valley soon after, the folks at Archer Aviation hope to have the Midnight eVTOL begin commercial flights as soon as 2025.

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Get ready to drive and fly with this modular Chinese flying car debuting at CES

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Numerous flying car concepts have come and gone. Some remain in the pipeline after decades and a few have evolved into enticing prototypes. There are just a handful that are slightly near realism and ready to take off. Not that these are iterations of the dream flying car I have, where I would sit in a normal vehicle driving to the office for an urgent meeting and when I hit traffic, I’d just shift from drive mode to flying mode and take to the sky, over the congestion below… Ah!

These ideas of flying cars we are seeing pop up at the mega tech fest in Vegas are VTOLs with electric propulsion, designed to just fly straight up – without a runway – when you need personal mobility of the future to flaunt. After the fruitful sight of the Helix, the first marketable eVTOL aircraft slated to ship in the US starting June 10, 2024; we came across the Xpeng AeroHT eVTOL Flying Car at the ongoing CES.

Designer: Xpeng AeroHT

We learn this eVTOL flying car is designed and developed by AeroHT electric aviation wing of the Chinese auto company XPeng. Unlike traditional ideas, this modular flying car has a different approach. It comes in a two-part design, one part car and other an eVTOL, so it seamlessly switches between land and aerial modes.

Dubbed the land aircraft carrier, it has an all-electric powertrain. Designed in a futuristic form factor – somewhat hinting at the aesthetics of the Cybertruck – this is a 6×6 all-wheel-drive vehicle you would want to drive all day. The car functions as a land aircraft carrier and when you want to reach the destination faster, you can reach out to a tiny two-person eVTOL helicopter called air module from the rear hatch and get going.

We were fascinated by the demonstration of the wonderful act of the land and aerial modes of the enthralling low-altitude aircraft capable of vertical take-off and landing. Visioned with safety in mind – both for land and air modes – the eVTOL comes with manual and autonomous flight modes, making it one of the safest personal, electric flying cars. We tried to hold up some conversation with the team at CES, but we do not have information on the battery unit or pricing, we learned it is going into production and should be available for preorder soon. Shipping is likely to begin in China toward the end of 2025.

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Helix, the first eVTOL aircraft is at CES and all set to begin flying from June 2024

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One day, the future of aviation will be the electric vertical and take-off aircrafts! This is a journey of thought that started over a decade back when the idea of flying cars was in its total frenzy. Manufacturers around the world have since deviated a little, and come up with various concepts/prototypes of eVTOLs aircrafts, with the idea of making short-distance aviation much quieter, with fewer emissions, and potentially safer than helicopters and other forms of flying crafts.

The main reason for the eVTOL lagging behind and not making it into mass production is essentially because of the demands of the Federal Aviation Administration in America. But that hasn’t stopped companies from working through time to prove to regulators that VTOL aircrafts can operate safely. Seems, the reasoning has met sane ears, and the first eVTOL, dubbed Helix, is now at CES 2024, and all set to be produced in larger volumes and shipped starting June 10.

Designer: Pivotal

The lightweight electric VTOL aircraft has been in the works by Palo Alto, California-based company Pivotal for over a decade. After numerous phases, the final aircraft is ready to take-off and land vertically without needing a runway or a pilot’s license to go airborne.

The Pivotal Helix, with fixed rotors and tandem wings, is a single-seat aircraft that can be flown without an FAA pilot certification, but the manufacturing company requires prospective fliers to go through hours of simulator and training sessions to fly the 348-pound eVTOL craft in the USA. Before you intend to shell out your savings to be the first Pivotal customer; you must be 18 years and above, have a body weight of fewer than 220 pounds, and you shouldn’t measure more than 6.5 feet tall, else you may not fulfill the company’s buyer requirement for the Helix.

Even though a pilot’s license is not necessary to fly the eVTOL, FAA requires the aircraft to be flown only above non-congested areas and at a considerable distance from airports. There is no other additional requirement as to why you cannot fly the Helix once it becomes available (and you have close to $200K odd to spare).

To make flying easy, the Pivotal Helix features a wide-angle view from the cockpit, and thriving on the electric engine, it guarantees silent operation. The battery renders 20 miles of range to the Helix, which can charge 100 percent in about 75 minutes using a 240V charger.

Helix scheduled for June, will come in three configurations. The base model with a white carbon fiber exterior, a digital flight panel, and an HD camera for landing will start at $190,000. The model with gloss white and striped carbon fiber exterior, 4K camera with landing assist will set you back $240,000, while the third model with a premium flight deck, customizable interior and exterior will cost $260,000. The first production lightweight eVTOL aircraft in the US can now be pre-ordered via $250 nonrefundable application fee, and a $50,000 booking deposit.

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This single person electric VTOL aircraft leverages AI assist and dual joysticks for precision control

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Yacht owners are known for indulging in luxury and the thrill of the open sea. Over the years, this community has indulged in buying submarines and Jet Skis to satisfy their growing desire for new thrills, and it is no surprise that electric VTOL and jetpacks will be on the list soon. In order to create the demand or perhaps be ready for when the need arises, a French company is making a deal visible.

Enter Acro eVTOL, a cutting-edge creation by Klissarov Design, specifically engineered for the yachting industry. The renowned French design studio is no stranger to pushing the boundaries of innovation in vehicle design. Studio’s portfolio spans boats, automobiles, and even aircraft and the latest addition to their impressive repertoire is the Acro, this electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft concept.

Designer: Klissarov Design

Acro is classified as an ultralight aircraft, which eliminates the need for a pilot’s license. The aircraft leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to assist in its operation, ensuring a seamless and secure flying experience. This makes it accessible to a wider range of enthusiasts who want to experience the thrill of piloting their own craft.

The Acro eVTOL, designed with a molded seat to ensure the pilot’s comfort during flight, boasts a 3D-printed airframe, setting it apart from traditional aircraft design. With a length of 3.85 meters, a width of 4 meters, and a height of 1.6 meters, it combines compactness with performance and stability, making it a true marvel.

Designed with versatility in mind, Acro can transport a single mariner to and from a yacht or port with minimum noise and max comfort using two joysticks to maneuver the aircraft. Equipped with two screens for enhanced visibility, it offers a range of flight modes, enabling a personalized experience for every pilot.

This futuristic aircraft looks sleek, but it’s quite robust with an empty weight of 200 kilograms and a maximum take-off weight of 280 kg. It’s envisioned to deliver an exceptional experience while maintaining the highest standards of safety. With a cruise speed of 102 kmph (63 mph), Acro ensures a safe and controlled flight. It can touch down on any regular deck, making it the perfect companion for yachts in all kinds of weather conditions. The craft includes an emergency ballistic parachute at the top, a reassuring feature for those moments when all does not go according to plan, providing peace of mind to the thrill-seeking pilot.

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This public eVTOL seats up to 6 people at a time for the quickest air-taxi rides in the city

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As a species that’s increasingly embracing the idea of space travel, it feels like our cities still depend too much on roads for transport. It isn’t just time for flying personal cars, it’s time for public eVTOLS that allow the masses to travel from one point to another. In comes Linker, a 4-6 seater eVTOL that helps slash commute times by a large fraction, and allows you to travel anywhere within the city in style. The autonomous eVTOL features wings on each side with a spacious cabin in the middle. Large windows on either side of the cabin offer occupants a stunning view of the city as they travel through the air, and the eVTOL also features stowage area for luggage and cargo, allowing it to work as more than just public transport.

Designer: Joowon Lee

Designed as a graduation project during Lee’s time at the Hongik University in Seoul, Linker aims at tackling the problem of over-urbanization that sees a city getting cramped with buildings and roadways not being able to accommodate the influx of the urban population. The eVTOL has the ability to take off and land on the terraces of buildings, offering an A-to-B transport solution that uses the sky rather than adding to the hubbub of crowded roadways.

The eVTOL opts for a plane-like architecture, with two massive wings and three adjustable propellers on each wing. The six propellers face upwards during take-off and landing and then rotate to face forward after the vehicle is airborne, shifting from a helicopter to an airplane format.

The Linker’s interiors propose an interesting shapeshifting setup too. The eVTOL can sit either 4 people in a traditional car/airplane-style seating arrangement, or seat as many as 6 people in an ellipse facing outwards. The former arrangement would come at a premium, while the latter would be more like a public option, akin to traveling by bus.

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ASKA showcases fully-functional prototype of its ‘street-legal’ flying car at CES 2023

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Although the public demonstration got called off due to dicey weather (thanks, polar vortex), NFT Inc. (not the crypto kind) was all set to reveal a fully-functional prototype of their ASKA eVTOL at CES this year. Armed with FAA and EASA certifications, the ASKA A5 is arguably the world’s first ‘street-legal’ eVTOL that can alternate between driving on a highway or flying in mid-air. I’d argue that given its design, you’d probably do a spit-take if you saw this massive machine cruising right beside you on the road.

“Our unveil at CES represents something that has never been accomplished in the world, but which humans have dreamed of for decades: a fully functional, full-scale prototype of a Drive & Fly electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing, a real flying car. We’re making history with ASKA™ and defining the next 100 years of transportation,” mentioned Guy Kaplinsky, CoFounder/CEO.

Designer: NFT Inc.

For the uninitiated (we wrote about ASKA back in 2021), the ASKA A5 is a car, eVTOL hybrid that can alternate between driving down roads or taking off and gliding through the air. The vehicle, which seats 4, sports a rather unique framework, featuring fold-out wings with rotors mounted on them. In-wheel motors give the ASKA A5 a top speed of 70mph when cruising in ‘car mode’, while offering better traction and aerodynamics, while existing outside the eVTOL’s fuselage for a maximized cockpit. However, if the idea of gridlock doesn’t sit well with you, the ASKA A5 transforms into an aerial vehicle in mere minutes. The ASKA A5’s wings unfold and its propellers arrange themselves in a hexagonal pattern, while the car dashboard inside transforms into an information-rich cockpit with maps, gauges, and meters. Once airborne, it can reach speeds of up to 150mph with a range of 250 miles on a full charge – not to mention built-in safety protocols for safe landings. However, you can’t really decide to take off in the middle of a highway – you still need to abide by FAA regulations by having a piloting license and using helipads or vertiports for taking off and landing. We still live in a civilized society, right?

A few more details have emerged about the ASKA A5, including its proprietary power system that features lithium-ion battery packs and a gasoline engine that acts as an onboard range extender. The ASKA A5 can take off in both ways, in a vertical fashion like a helipad, or even on a runway, which apparently is much more energy efficient. “In the U.S. alone, there are around 15,000 airfields with runways,” explains Maki Kaplinsky, CoFounder & Chair/COO. “Our innovative engineering enables ASKA™ to take off from a runway super fast using our unique in-wheel motor technology. This is a revolution in aviation, enabling ASKA™ to take off in less than 5 sec with a runway of 250 ft which brings the closest experience to an F-18 Super Hornet fighter jet taking off from an aircraft carrier for our customers”

On the timeline front, not much has changed for the ASKA A5. The company is still looking at a 2026 launch, which seems incredibly commendable considering the chip shortage and the looming pandemic that’s somehow still wreaking havoc in countries like China well into its fourth year. The eVTOL is up for preorder if you’ve got $5,000 for a downpayment on the $789,000 vehicle. It has roughly the same footprint as a large SUV, so if you’ve got open-air parking, you could totally have this sitting right beside your home. I’d probably make a risky bet that this will actually begin shipping before the Cybertruck.

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Volkswagen just announced that they’ve been working on their first eVTOL ‘flying car’

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Volkswagen has thrown its cap in the eVTOL game, announcing their first ever ‘air taxi’ named the V.MO (short for Vertical Mobility). Coming from the VW China team, V.MO was created in partnership with London-based studio Tangerine and Sunward, a China-based aviation manufacturer, helped build the first-ever prototype. “In 2020, Volkswagen Group China launched a Vertical Mobility project to explore the next generation of mobility solutions, including the urban air mobility market and the extension of urban traffic into airspace”, said Volkswagen in a press release. “After intensive research, conceptual work, and development, the project team has now developed its first validation model – the V.MO.”

Designers: Tangerine & VW Group China

Internally referred to as the Flying Tiger (to mark its launch in 2022, the year of the tiger), the V.MO is targeted toward China’s elite as a high-end travel concept made for travel between Chinese megacities for business and leisure. Volkswagen and Tangerine interviewed as many as 100 potential clients who fit the V.MO’s target audience description, which helped inform the overall eVTOL’s design.

The prototype concept is based on existing autonomous driving solutions and battery technology for emission-free mobility. With a luxury X-wing configuration of 11.2m in length and a span width of 10.6m, the model features eight rotors for vertical lift and two rear propellers that enable horizontal flight. In its final future iteration, the fully electric and automated eVTOL could eventually carry four passengers plus luggage over a distance of up to 200km.

Although VW Group’s just unveiled this one concept, the company has also revealed its ambitious plan to ramp up production and build several other prototypes. The Group will conduct several flight tests later this year to optimize the concept and an improved prototype will undergo further advanced test flights by late summer of 2023. For now, this one-off prototype is targeted at “private ownership”, Volkswagen claims, although future prototypes and iterations will explore different use-cases and ownership models.

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