Although it’s called an aircraft, it can link up with Honda vehicles at the ground to provide door-to-door transport.
The future of motoring has been long portrayed by flying cars. Some automakers are making strides in this area with so-called flying cars concepts that aren’t actually cars. Honda is yet another automaker to unveil an airborne concept. However, the company doesn’t pretend that it is a car. It still plays an important role in Honda’s vision for the future air- and ground-based mobility.
Honda calls the Honda eVTOL an aircraft. It is a vertical takeoff and landing vehicle concept. We are attracted to it for its hybrid design. The eight lift-rotors, two pusher props, and the eVTOL’s two propellers are all electric. However, the eVTOL also has a gas turbine engine that extends the range of the battery, which keeps it charged.
Honda predicts that electric air taxis in the future will have a limited range and only function as intra-city transport. This could prove to be more difficult than necessary when electric air taxis can provide the same service in a fraction of the time and without the additional complexity – or dangers – associated with flying. The eVTOL concept solves this problem with a projected range 400 km (249 miles).
This is enough to bridge the gap between intra-city short-distance travel and jumping on a legitimate airplane for long distances. Honda plans to combine the eVTOL and a whole “mobility ecosystem”, which includes ground-based vehicles that can take commuters from door to door without having to get behind the wheel. It could be a great solution for those who work in cities but long to live in the country.
It’s not that easy. It’s still a work-in-progress to coordinate autonomous machinery. Regulations governing flight are more strict than those for ground travel. Honda recognizes this and is second in line to pay attention. Any mobility plan that involves flight will need coordination with many entities and organizations, not least the federal and state governments. Honda is willing to establish these connections and obtain certifications by 2030 if the eVTOL project has been deemed commercially viable.
Honda is referring to whether the system can be made cost-effective. This is a great challenge whenever flight is involved. The flight testing of the eVTOL will be the first step in the decision-making process. Right now, it is a small-scale model that can be used for wind-tunnel testing. The next step is to decide on commercialization by 2025.