The influence of Uber’s personal transportation model is undeniable — so undeniable, in fact, that Korean auto manufacturer, Hyundai, has taken notice of the ridesharing giant’s ambitious view for the future of commutable vehicles. Now, the pair have announced that they’ll be taking to the skies through the introduction of a full-scale air taxi dubbed the Elevate S-A1.
At this year’s CES, both Uber and Hyundai took to the stage to reveal the Elevate S-A1 VTOL — a sleek, NASA-inspired aircraft that’s both innovative and ambitious. With a cruising speed of 180 miles-per-hour, these taxied personal transport vehicles will commute in a prioritized airspace 1,000, to 2,000 feet above the world’s most progressive cities, ferrying passengers to locations up to 60 miles from their initial pickup area. Each Hyundai-sourced vertical takeoff and landing vehicle (VTOL) will be fully electric, calling upon distributed electric propulsion to power the vehicle’s multitudinous propellers while promoting safety and comfortability, cutting back on unwarranted engine noise, and decreasing the opportunity for any single point of failure. This, paired with Uber’s extensive network of on-ground transportation, rideshare, and customer interfacing, promises to jumpstart a new age for personal travel. Head to either Uber or Hyundai’s respective websites to learn more.
