US startup Joby is building an electric aircraft it wants to use to fly people between airports and cities for the price of an Uber — take a look

Taylor RainsAug 17, 2023, 16:33 IST

CEO JoeBen Bevirt with the Joby eVTOL prototype.Reuters

The growing electric air taxi market is expected to be a $57 billion industry by 2035.
Startups are racing to build the first certified eVTOL thanks to investments from airlines like United and Delta.

The era of electric air taxis is almost here, and there are several competitors vying for a piece of the lucrative market.

Startups like Archer Aviation, Vertical Aerospace, EVE Air Mobility, Boeing-backed Wisk, and Joby Aviation are all building a new type of aircraft known as an electric takeoff and landing vehicle, or eVTOL.

Picture a giant drone big enough to carry people across at least 100 miles — and these aren't little pipe dreams, either.

Organizations including the US military, Boeing, and several global airlines are investing millions into eVTOLs as the low-noise and zero-emission aircraft are expected to be a solution to congested city roadways.

In 2021, United Airlines placed a $1 billion order for Archer's Midnight eVTOL, while Delta Air Lines invested $60 million into Joby Aviation in 2022. Other carriers including Air New Zealand, American Airlines, and Japan Airlines have also taken interest as the industry is expected to boom to $57 billion by 2035.

Insider sat down with company executives at the Paris Airshow in June, having already covered Archer's upcoming plans with United — and Joby has a similar vision.

Take a look at Joby's five-seater S4 2.0 eVTOL, which the company said is expected to enter service in 2025 and be priced equal to that of an Uber.

One of the biggest backers of Joby's upcoming eVTOL is Delta, which partnered with the manufacturer in October.

A Delta Air Lines plane.Tayfun CoSkun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

The interest stems from the eVTOLs' ability to simultaneously reduce CO2 and noise emissions, as well as save people time in traffic.

Joby Aviation

And, similar to Archer, Joby plans to fly on behalf of a major airline — Delta — with Bevirt saying the flights will essentially be a codeshare operation.

CEO JoeBen Bevirt with the Joby eVTOL prototype.Reuters

While it's first commercial flight it still a few years away, Joby has offered a glimpse into what flyers can expect.

T. Schneider/Shutterstock.com

Equipped with six propellers and 12 batteries, the S4 2.0 is designed to fly up to 150 miles on a single charge.

Joby Aviation

Travelers can expect to fly between cities and airports in just minutes, with a quick recharge time.

EVTOLs will be a quieter alternate to helicopters, which are commonly used to hop between cities and airports — but its expensive.Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

Routes are expected to launch in New York and Los Angeles to serve Delta customers, though Joby expects to eventually have an on-demand app available too.

The author flies along the New York City skyline often with her pilot fiance, and customers can expect similar views.Taylor Rains/Insider

For those worrying about price, Joby's eVTOL is expected to be priced comparable to an Uber Black.

Uber rider.Mario Tama/Getty

Plus, Joby is confident in the safety of its eVTOL thanks to a robust fly-by-wire system that makes handling the S4 2.0 easier and more efficient.

Inside the cockpit of Joby's eVTOL.Joby Aviation

Granted, pilot eVTOL training has created a regulatory hurdle, though Bevirt does not expect a significant impact on certification.

Joby had a simulator at the airshow that the author had fun flying around.Taylor Rains/Insider

Although Joby isn't the only company vying for a piece of the growing eVTOL market, Bevirt believes it has an edge over the competition.

California Governor Gavin Newsom (right) and JoeBen Bevirt, Joby Aviation’s Founder and CEO (left), standing in front of the first aircraft to come off Joby’s Pilot Production Line in Marina, CA.Joby Aviation

I was born and raised in Hong Kong. Here are the 6 best and 6 worst things about the city.

Cookies on the Business Insider India website

US startup Joby is building an electric aircraft it wants to use to fly people between airports and cities for the price of an Uber &mdash; take a look