An all-electric air taxi service will be introduced in India in 2026 by Archer Aviation, an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle company, in collaboration with InterGlobe Enterprises, a travel and hotel conglomerate. If it is successful, the South Asian country would become the company’s second overseas market outside of the United States to test its ambitious air taxi operations, following the United Arab Emirates.
According to statements made by both businesses on Thursday, the service will be “cost-competitive with ground transportation” and enhance urban mobility in the nation with the largest population by providing low-noise electric air taxis, provided that regulatory permissions and clearances are obtained. Up to 200 Archer “Midnight” aircraft are intended to be purchased with the help of the cooperation. The vertical takeoff and landing aircraft can go up to 100 miles and accommodates four people in addition to the pilot.
The electric air-taxi service, which has routes in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, intends to finish a 17-mile trip in the nation’s capital in 7 minutes, compared to 60 to 90 minutes by automobile.
In order to operate the electric aircraft, finance and construct the vertiport infrastructure, and train pilots and other personnel required for the operations, Archer and InterGlobe intend to collaborate with domestic companies. In addition to operating urban air taxi services, both firms are investigating other applications for the aircraft, such as cargo, logistics, emergency and medical services, private company, and charter operations.
Among its backers are United Airlines and Boeing. In August, Archer closed a $142 million contract to supply the U.S. Air Force with up to six Midnight flights. The California-based startup hopes to replace automobile trips in cities with its eVTOL aircraft.
The Federal Aviation Administration certified the company in August so that it could start testing eVTOL flights in the United States. Additionally, it this month inked a memorandum of understanding to begin providing services in the United Arab Emirates in 2026 with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office.
“With over 1.4 billion people living there and some of the world’s worst traffic problems in its major cities, India presents one of, if not the greatest, opportunity for eVTOL aircraft utilization globally,” CEO and founder of Archer Adam Goldstein stated in a prepared statement. “Archer‘s all-electric Midnight aircraft is intended to offer a cutting-edge mode of transportation that can assist in resolving these traffic problems.”
With this new alliance, InterGlobe Enterprises, the company that finances IndiGo, the leading airline in India, hopes to increase its market share in the low-cost transportation sector.
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