Uber-style flying taxis are set to be launched in Melbourne within the next five years, according to Florida based company Eve Urban Air Mobility.
At an announcement made fittingly in Melbourne, Florida on Monday (local time), the company - which is owned by aircraft manufacturer Embraer - said it planned to launch the flying vehicles across Southeast Asia in 2026 as part of a partnership with Ascent Flights Global.
The EVA branded vehicles will first launch in key cities such as Bangkok, Manila, Melbourne, Singapore and Tokyo. New Zealand is not currently included in the rollout plan.
The vehicles will be available through an Uber-like app.
"The zero-emission and low noise EVA represents a simple and intuitive design that continues to reach development milestones. The first flight of the engineering simulator happened in July 2020, while a proof of concept followed in October 2020," said Andre Stein, President & CEO of Eve.
"The region holds a massive demand for transportation disruption that can be filled with our low-emission aircraft. This is the right recipe for sustainable growth."
Ascent is a Singapore-based start-up focusing on air mobility in Asia such as air taxis and tourist, cargo & medical services, within urban areas and across regions. Rollout of the service will, of coure, require approval from local authorities.
