going deeper business. The airline not only invested $15 million in Eve Air Mobility, it ordered 200 flying taxis and has another 200. United expects to start receiving Eve’s four-seat vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle as early as 2026.
The company says its investment is driven by both confidence in the urban air mobility market and Eve’s working relationship with Embraer. Embrarer is a “reliable aircraft manufacturer with a proven track record in building and certifying aircraft in the company’s 53-year history.” Former Embrarer worked with Uber on a flying taxi project that later finally passed.
Eve’s flying taxi features conventional fixed wings, propellers 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% compared to today’s conventional planes.”
This is not the first time United has struck an agreement with an eVTOL company. Last month, they made a $10 million deposit with another California-based company for 100 flying taxis. As a result, the company lined up 500 flying taxis to add to its fleet.
United has set up a corporate venture fund with the aim of bolstering its ambition to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 without relying on traditional carbon offsetting. Through the United Airlines Ventures fund, the airline has also invested in hydrogen fuel cell engines and .
“Today, United is making history once 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 the aviation industry towards a sustainable future.”
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