Uber, Hyundai unveil electric flying car model for future air taxi service at 2020 CES
- Hyundai is the first carmaker to buy into Uber’s dream for a network of air taxis dotting the skies of major cities
- While Uber has other partners for the flying car project, Hyundai could help it produce air vehicles at “rates unseen” in the aerospace industry
Uber Technologies is working on a flying car with Hyundai Motor, the first carmaker to buy into Uber’s dream for a network of air taxis dotting the skies of major cities.
The two companies outlined their partnership Monday at the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) technology conference and plan to show off a full-scale model of the vehicle this week on the trade show floor in Las Vegas. Hyundai’s aerial taxi would be able to take off and land vertically, accommodate four passengers and cruise at up to 200 miles per hour (322kmh). It would be fully electric with a range of 60 miles.
The concept is similar to those designed by Boeing and a handful of other companies in collaboration with Uber Elevate, the ride-hailing company’s aerial division. In addition to sci-fi ventures, the group also oversees Uber helicopter rides, which are available in New York City. Uber has said it will conduct the first public demonstration of a flying car this year and allow customers to book aerial rides by 2023.
In more terrestrial pursuits, Uber said earlier Monday that it will start selling bus tickets through its app in Las Vegas, making it the second city to sign up for a public transit program the company introduced last year. Customers in the city will see public transit as one of the options in the Uber app, alongside car rides. They can then plan their route and purchase tickets for the same price they would pay using traditional methods. Riders will be able to use the tickets when their phone is offline. Uber expects to introduce the feature to additional cities around the world in the coming months.
Selling bus tickets is the latest deviation from Uber’s core ride-hailing business, part of a larger strategy to encourage customers to open the app more frequently. The company sees increased usage as a way to drive people to other services, including delivery of meals or groceries, rentals of electric bicycles or scooters and someday, flying car rides.