Archer’s Electric Taxis Take to the Skies: Trading Hot Asphalt for Cool Air
Ah, here I go again. Decades of covering the rumbles of gasoline and diesel behemoths, and now I’m diving into the silent flight of the electric future. Remember those days when getting from Point A to B meant sitting in a car, preferably with four wheels? Now, it seems like everyone and their grandmother wants to shoot for the sky. Say hello to Archer’s eVTOL air taxi, which recently got the nod for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) takeover.
First up, dimensions. Given its eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) nature, don’t expect this baby to park next to your Ford F-150. Archer's Midnight is built to carry four passengers and zoom them above the busy streets.
I haven't got the exact digits on horsepower (or should we say prop-power?), but if it’s anything like other electric vehicles, expect silent, instant torque. Enough to give your grandma's perm a workout.
Battery capacity? Top secret for now. But considering it's meant to swap out 60- to 90-minute car rides with breezy 10-to-20-minute flights, this thing’s got juice. And considering the price of gas these days, anything that runs on electricity and dreams gets my vote. If the promise of converting hours-long car rides to mere minutes of flight is anything to go by, the Midnight's got some pep in its step.
The price tag isn’t clear yet - another one for the list of mysteries. But with backers like United Airlines, Stellantis, and the US Air Force, I'm guessing it won't be bargain-bin. But hey, what’s a few extra dollars for the joy of soaring over gridlock?
The good folks in the UAE seem rather thrilled about this airborne commute solution. Archer's freshly inked deal will see commercial air taxi services swooping around the Emirates by 2026. Not only are they erecting a second headquarters in Abu Dhabi, but Archer is also collaborating with local manufacturing companies. Way to make friends!
While the idea of zipping through the sky instead of crawling in traffic is tempting, I can’t help but be a tad skeptical. Where are the in-flight peanuts? But jests aside, it’s impressive to see such leaps in electric tech. And with the grand showcase of the Midnight eVTOL set for the Dubai Air Show, it won’t be long before we see these electric birds in action.
Who knows, the next time I’m penning (or keyboard-smashing) an article, it might just be from the backseat of an Archer Midnight, soaring over the desert landscape, while chuckling at the traffic below. Until then, keep those seatbelts fastened and dreams high.
Yours truly,
Captain Electro
