Joby shows off electric air taxis in New York, targeting 2025 launch date

By Roselle Chen

 

NEW YORK (Reuters) -  Electric air taxis could be transporting passengers from JFK Airport to downtown Manhattan by 2025 - on quiet, emissions-free journeys that take around seven minutes.

 

Manufacturer Joby Aviation carried out an exhibition flight at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport in New York on Sunday, the city’s first-ever electric air taxi flight and the first time Joby has flown in an urban setting.

 

The craft can recharge in about five minutes, while passengers are unloading and boarding, said CEO JoeBen Bevirt. The idea is that travelers will book their trip, similar to a rideshare app.

 

The company aims to begin commercial passenger service in 2025 and is in the third of five stages of certification with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

 

The cost of booking a trip has yet to be confirmed but the company has previously said it will likely be comparable to a rideshare in a car.

 

(Reporting by Roselle Chen, Writing by Rosalba O’Brien; Editing by David Gregorio)