Airbus recently said that it would be halting plans to put its latest eVTOL aircraft, named CityAirbus, on the market, reports AIN Online.
The aircraft manufacturer announced the move in late January, noting issues mostly in regards to the technological requirements, but also the proposed business plan.
Plans were initially launched in 2021, aiming to get the aircraft into commercial service by the end of the decade. It came as a part of the race to get the first eVTOL (electric vertical take-off or landing) into the skies, competing with numerous companies such as Lilium, Joby, and Vertical Aerospace.
It’s no secret that the industry widely views eVTOLs as the future of aviation, with their electric power being vital in introducing sustainability into aviation, as well as rethinking the way most cities see urban mobility. Several local governments are pouring money into developing large infrastructure projects to accommodate the aircraft, with Copenhagen being the latest to start thinking about how island hopping could be achieved.
Battery Woes
However, despite the industry boom, Airbus has failed to capitalize on the growing trend. Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters claimed that the minimum range of the CityAirbus needed for it to enter commercial service would likely be 80-100 km. He stated that on the battery side, the company clearly saw “the need to continue to improve the performance to reach what we consider the minimum level of performance.”
Airbus hasn’t been the only eVTOL manufacturer struggling, with European start-up Lilium having to be saved by an investment of over 200 million Euros from an investment consortium known as Mobile Uplift Corporation.
Currently, China’s EHang is the only eVTOL aircraft to be certified, having done so in 2023. However, flights in this autonomous-flying vehicle have yet to reach most of the Western world.
