A German tech company, along with French regional officials, have unveiled a prototype of a flying taxi that could begin demonstration flights in Paris as early as 2024.
We revealed our full-scale #VoloCity yesterday in #Paris. Volocopter CEO Florian Reuter, @iledefrance President @vpecresse, @GroupeADP Director General @ArkwrightEdward, @RATPgroup President @c_guillouard, and @ChooseParisReg President @FranckMargain were all there to see it! pic.twitter.com/KKZiv4nN9V
— Volocopter (@volocopter) October 1, 2020
We were very happy to give @vpecresse , @RATPgroup , @GroupeADP, and everyone else at the event a firsthand look at our full-scale #VoloCity ! #VoloInParis #UrbanAirMobility https://t.co/od420X2Bfh
— Volocopter (@volocopter) September 30, 2020
Flying taxi, shown to a group of journalists in Paris, may soon be a reality 🚁
Via Mr. Younus Khan pic.twitter.com/YUl8h7MUdY— Cultural Maverick (@CulturalMaverik) October 1, 2020
German-made Flying Taxi Unveiled in Paris https://t.co/Dd7zN5I83w
— Voice of America (@VOANews) October 2, 2020
The Volocopter company presented the VoloCity air taxi, an electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle, which the company will begin testing at the airport in June.
The VoloCity aircraft will run on nine electric batteries, and it will carry a pilot and one passenger. It will have a range of 35 kilometers and a top speed of 110 kilometers per hour.
Volocopter CEO Florian Reuter told reporters if those tests go as hoped, Paris regional authorities hope to have one prototype ready for demonstration flights during the Paris Olympics in 2024.
The greater Paris area is developing an urban air mobility sector, to make flying taxis accessible to the public. #FMTNews #FMTLifestyle #2024OlympicGames https://t.co/odbI6RjZv7
— Free Malaysia Today (@fmtoday) October 3, 2020
Volocopter already has tested its flying taxi in different parts of the world, and last October it chose Singapore for the first test in the heart of a city.
Several other companies are working on similar projects, including Boeing, Airbus, Toyota and Hyundai.
Last month, Japanese firm SkyDrive, funded by Toyota, showed its eight-propeller, manned compact vehicle flying around a test field.
