is getting deeper into the business. Not only has the airline invested $15 million in Eve Air Mobility, it has ordered 200 flying taxis and has an option for another 200. United expects to begin receiving Eve’s four-seat electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle as soon as possible. like 2026 .
The company says its investment was driven by both its confidence in the urban air mobility market and Eve’s working relationship with Embraer. , Embrarer is “a trusted aircraft manufacturer with a proven track record of building and certifying aircraft throughout the company’s 53-year history.” Embrar previously worked with Uber on a flying taxi project that the latter ultimately abandoned.
Eve’s flying taxi has conventional fixed wings, rotors and thrusters with a design that United says favors safety, efficiency, reliability and certifiability. It is said to have a range of 60 miles, and United added that the vehicle can “reduce noise levels by 90 percent compared to today’s conventional aircraft.”
This is not the first time United has struck a deal with an eVTOL company. Last month, he made a $10 million deposit with another California-based company for 100 flying taxis. As such, the company has lined up as many as 500 flying taxis to add to its fleet.
United has established a corporate venture fund with the aim of bolstering its ambition to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 without relying on traditional carbon offsets. Through the United Airlines Ventures fund, it has also invested in hydrogen fuel cell engines and .
“Today, United is making history again by becoming the first major airline to publicly invest in two eVTOL companies,” United Airlines Ventures President Michael Leskinen said in a statement. “Together, we believe our suite of clean energy technologies will revolutionize air travel as we know it and serve as a catalyst for moving the aviation industry toward a sustainable future.”
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