[Auto Moto] Road congestion prompts Honda to unveil hybrid air taxis

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Japanese automaker Honda has unveiled its eVTOL concept, along with details of an avatar robot and new aerospace technologies. Images of the aircraft show an extra-lift design with eight lift propellers on parallel arms and ducted propellers at the rear.

The company said in a statement that the plane will contain a gas turbine hybrid power unit to be able to move between cities, not just within them.

Canadian website evtol reported that the Japanese company confirmed that the only "realistic" use case for electric air taxis today is in-city transportation, due to current battery restrictions.

As reported by TechCrunch, Honda's market research indicates that the largest demand for eVTOL transmission will be for intercity flights of up to 400 km, which will be difficult to achieve with lithium-ion battery technology anytime soon.

And while Beta believes an all-electric Alia eVTOL will be able to reach this scale, most air taxi developers are aiming for much less.

Joby recently conducted an eVTOL flight of more than 240 km, but the company expects the average urban airlift mission to be just 42 km, and anticipates strong demand for such short hops.

Honda said its eVTOL aircraft will integrate technologies and capabilities the company has developed across a range of industries, drawing on its expertise with hybrid cars and electric vehicles for the aircraft's generator, motor and battery, as well as autonomous driving technologies for sensors, controllers and actuators.

Honda builds on its expertise in developing the HondaJet and its HF120 propeller engine as it will guide its approach to turbine technology, aerodynamics, lightweight bodybuilding and aircraft certification.

According to TechCrunch, the company is working on flight tests of a hybrid experimental model in 2025, after which it will make a decision on commercialization.

The company aims to create a "mobility ecosystem" that is "coordinated and integrated with mobility on the ground", taking into account elements including infrastructure, customer reservations and air traffic control.