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If you have braved peak hour traffic between Delhi and Gurgaon, you have a wait time of another 2 years when Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing or eVTOLs, promises to take you from Delhi to Gurgaon in flat 7 minutes. IndiGo, a major Indian airline, has partnered with Archer Aviation, a US company, to launch an all-electric air taxi service, which aims to be operational by 2026.
According to reports, Archer Aviation will provide 200 electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for this service. The eVTOLs will seat four passengers and a pilot, offering a superquick and comfortable commute between the capital and its commercial suburb. While the exact cost is yet to be determined, estimates suggest it could be between Rs 2,000-3,000 per passenger.
According to the website of Archer Aviation, the company entered into strategic relationships with United Airlines (launch customer & operating partner), Stellantis (manufacturing and supply chain collaboration), United States Air Force (flight testing) and become one of the first two companies in the world to establish its Certification basis for a passenger carrying eVTOL aircraft with the FAA. In 2023, the company announced the UAE and India as first international launch markets.
Safe, sustainable, and low noise, these electric air vehicles are undergoing quality checks. InterGlobe or Indigo and Archer Aviation, as part of their partnership, will introduce similar taxi services in Mumbai and Bengaluru, in addition to Delhi.
