See inside the sustainable flying taxis, or eVTOLs, that hope to revolutionize traveling in cities

The exterior and cockpit of Archer's Midnight eVTOL.Pete Syme/Business Insider

• Flying taxis, or eVTOLs, are nonpolluting aircraft that could first be available in 2025.
• Companies such as Archer hope to transform commuting with their accessible aircraft.
• Take a look inside the flying taxis that were on display at the Dubai Airshow.

Electric vertical-takeoff and -landing aircraft, better known as eVTOLs or flying taxis, could be aviation's next big thing.

They function similarly to helicopters but are lighter, make far less noise, and don't pollute because batteries power them.

The hope is that they will reduce traffic congestion in major cities.

Archer plans to have its first commercial route between Newark Liberty International Airport and downtown Manhattan, which it estimated would take under 10 minutes, versus over 50 minutes via car.

Unlike helicopters, eVTOLs should be affordable and available to hail via an app, like Uber rides.

Archer's chief commercial officer, Nikhil Gupta, told Business Insider that with no fuel cost, its Midnight eVTOL cost between $4 and $5 per passenger mile — with a long-term goal to get that down to $1 — while helicopters cost about $10 per passenger mile.

Archer hasn't set a price yet and still faces hurdles, such as building the vertiports necessary to scale use. But either way, these new, nonpolluting aircraft could transform commuting as soon as 2025, when Archer and Joby Aviation hope to start commercial flights.

Archer, worth over $1 billion, was among the eVTOL companies exhibiting their work at the Dubai Airshow earlier this month. Take a look at some of the flying taxis that could be taking to the skies in the next few years.