Uber says hi to Hyundai air taxi

Urban travelers may soon be saying hi to a high-flying Hyundai air taxi after a deal between the car-maker and ride-sharing company Uber. The two companies this week announced a new partnership to develop Uber air taxis and unveiled a full-scale electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) concept aircraft at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Watch a dramatic video of an aircraft flying through Australia's devastating fires. The deal makes Hyundai the first car company to join Uber Elevate, which hopes to run flight demonstrations this year with a goal of making services available in 2023. Uber has nominated Melbourne in Australia and the US cities of Dallas and Los Angeles as pilot cities. The plan is for the Korean marque to make and deploy the aircraft while Uber runs the aerial ride-sharing network, airspace support services and connections to ground transport. Uber hopes the Korean manufacturer’s experience in producing cars on a global scale will allow it to build the air taxis at unprecedented rates while still producing quality, reliable aircraft. It believes the high volumes will help drive down passenger costs per trip to around the same level as an UberX trip over the same distance. The new Hyundai S-A1 model is designed for four passengers with a cruising speed of 180mph (290kmh) at cruising altitude of 1000 to 2000ft (up to 600m). It will be 100 percent electric with multiple motors for redundancy and will require five to seven minutes to recharge during peak hours. The aircraft, which will initially be piloted, will take off vertically and transition to wing-borne lift in cruise before changing back to land vertically. The cabin is designed for easy access and will have enough space for a personal bag or backpack.

"Our vision of Urban Air Mobility will transform the concept of urban transportation," said Jaiwon Shin, Executive Vice President and Head of Hyundai's Urban Air Mobility Division. "We expect UAM to vitalize urban communities and provide more quality time to people. We are confident that Uber Elevate is the right partner to make this innovative product readily available to as many customers as possible." Uber has entered into partnerships with a number of companies, including a number of aviation firms, to develop its air taxi concept but still faces hurdles in terms of regulatory approval and airspace reform. Hyundai has sold more than 4.5 million vehicles globally and now employs 110,000 people worldwide.