Indigo to Launch Fully Electric Air Taxi Service in India by 2026
PTI, New Delhi. India’s leading airline Indigo’s parent company Interglobe Enterprises and American aviation company Archer Aviation will launch fully electric air taxi services in India by the beginning of 2026. These air taxis will transport passengers from Connaught Place in Delhi to Gurugram in Haryana in just seven minutes. The cost of a seven-minute flight is expected to be around 2,000 to 3,000 rupees.
200 Electric Vertical Take-off and Landing Aircrafts to be Available
Archer Aviation will provide 200 Electric Vertical Take-off and Landing (eVTOL) aircrafts. Apart from the pilot, these aircrafts can accommodate four passengers. These aircrafts operate similar to helicopters with less noise and improved safety. The price of each aircraft will be around one billion dollars. Each aircraft will have 12 rotors.
Certification Process for Aircrafts in Final Stage
Under the joint venture of Interglobe and Archer Aviation, similar services will also be launched in Mumbai and Bengaluru apart from Delhi. Archer Aviation’s founder and CEO Adam Goldstein mentioned that discussions are ongoing with the American regulator Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the certification process for their aircrafts is in the final stage.
Hopes to Start Flights in India by 2026
Verification is expected to take place next year, and once implemented, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will start the certification process. Goldstein mentioned in the discussion that the company hopes to start flights in India by 2026 and aims to have 200 ‘Midnight’ aircrafts for operations.
The Aircraft will Have Six Battery Packs
He mentioned that it will take approximately 90 minutes to cover a distance of 27 km in the car, and the cost will be around 1,500 rupees. Another company official stated that the aircraft will have six battery packs that will be fully charged in 30-40 minutes. A minute of charge will approximately equal to a minute of flight.
