This Stellantis-Backed Electric Air Taxi Promises To Beat NYC Gridlock
Instead of hours, a trip to LaGuardia or JFK could take minutes
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by Michael Gauthier
Archer and United have unveiled their plan for an air taxi network in New York City.
It’s designed to transport people from a downtown skyport to airports in minutes.
This could potentially save customers hours of time, especially during rush hour.
Stellantis-backed Archer has teamed up with United Airlines to unveil its vision of an air taxi network for New York City. It would be serviced by Archer’s Midnight, which is an electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft that accommodates four passengers and has 100 miles (161 km) of range.
The network is designed to make trips to area airports – including LaGuardia, Newark, and JFK – far quicker and less stressful. Customers would travel to a centrally located “downtown skyport” or helipad and then take a quick 5-15 minute trip to the airport to catch their plane.
More: Stellantis To Build Archer’s Midnight Electric Flying Taxi In Georgia
That’s compared to the one to two hours it can take traveling the entire way by car. If you’ve experienced that trip at rush hour and almost missed a flight because of it, you’ll quickly see the appeal of the air taxi network.
Aside from being quick and convenient, the Midnight is full of redundant systems that promise to provide safety similar to commercial airliners. This includes a total of 12 motors and propellers.
There’s no word on when the service could take shape, but Archer noted they’re working with the FAA on Type Certification for the aircraft. Once granted, the company and its partners aim to “safely and seamlessly integrate Midnight into service, beginning with major airports like those in the New York City area.”
Archer CEO Adam Goldstein said, “The New York region is home to three of the world’s preeminent airports, serving upwards of 150 million passengers annually. But the drive from Manhattan to any of these airports can be painful, taking one, sometimes two hours. We want to change that by giving residents and visitors the option to complete trips in mere minutes.”
