Honda has announced that it is developing a range of electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (VTOLs) for inter and intracity commutes. According to a company press release
“Honda eVTOL aircraft will make mobility in he skies more accessible for people. Honda eVTOL leverages Honda’s electrification technologies for its gas turbine hybrid power unit. Adoption of the hybrid power unit enables the extension of range, which will enable Honda eVTOL to provide inter-city (city-to-city) transportation, where the market size is expected to grow in the future. Honda will create a new “mobility ecosystem” featuring Honda eVTOL at its core, connected with mobility products on the ground.
“To make the mobility in the skies Honda realized with its original HondaJet even more accessible for more people, Honda is developing its eVTOL aircraft by taking advantage of a wide range of Honda’s core technologies. In addition to clean operation realized by electrification technologies, eVTOL features safety at a level equivalent to that of commercial passenger airplanes realized by its simple structure and decentralized propulsive system and quietness due to relatively small diameter of rotors. This makes it possible for eVTOL to take off and land in the middle of a city without causing noise issues.
“Because of such features, the development race for eVTOL aircraft is getting increasingly vigorous. However, all-electric eVTOL aircraft face a range issue due to limited battery capacity, therefore the realistic use area is limited to intra-city (inside city) transportation.
“To address this issue and realize user-friendly inter-city transportation with longer range, Honda will leverage its electrification technologies and develop Honda eVTOL equipped with a gas turbine hybrid power unit. Moreover, in addition to electrification technologies, Honda eVTOL will feature technologies Honda has amassed in a number of different areas such as combustion, aerodynamics and control technologies.
“Honda will strive to create new value for people by establishing a “mobility ecosystem” featuring eVTOL aircraft at its core, coordinated and integrated with mobility on the ground.”
For more information
https://global.honda/newsroom/news/2021/c210930beng.html
