The inaugural route from Connaught Place in Delhi to Gurugram in Haryana will take a mere 7-minute flight duration; costing Rs. 2,000-3,000 approximately
InterGlobe Enterprises, in partnership with Archer Aviation, is set to introduce a groundbreaking all-electric air taxi service in India by 2026. This service will revolutionise urban transportation by offering swift and efficient aerial connectivity between key hubs. The joint venture’s ambitious initiative aims to leverage electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft technology.
Archer Aviation will supply 200 eVTOL aircraft, each equipped with 12 rotors, capable of carrying four passengers alongside a pilot. These advanced aircraft, designed to operate similarly to helicopters but with reduced noise levels and enhanced safety features, are said to transform the urban commuting experience while significantly reducing travel time.
The inaugural route from Connaught Place in Delhi to Gurugram in Haryana will take a mere 7-minute flight duration. In addition to the Delhi-Gurugram route, the joint venture plans to extend its electric air taxi services to Mumbai and Bengaluru. Archer Aviation has ongoing discussions with regulatory authorities including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the US and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in India.
The advanced stage of the certification process signifies a significant milestone in the journey towards launching commercial operations in India by 2026. Discussions with municipalities, infrastructure development plans, and potential partnerships towards establishing a proper ecosystem for electric air taxi operations in India are also underway.
Archer Aviation Founder and CEO Adam Goldstein noted that it would take around one and a half hour to cover Gurugram from Connaught Place by car on a 27 km journey, which approximately costs Rs. 1,500. But through his air taxi service, it would only take between Rs. 2,000 and Rs. 3,000 to reach the destination in just seven minutes.
The company will be focussing on setting up its operations in Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai initially. Each aircraft costs around one billion USD. Archer Aviation is set to open its manufacturing facility in the US this year. Initially, it will have a capacity to produce up to 650 planes, with plans to enhance this capacity to 2,000 planes. In 2023, the US-based brand forged a MoU with InterGlobe Enterprises, an Indian travel conglomerate that includes the country’s IndiGo airline.