Hyundai and Uber show electric air taxi with four propellers

At CES, Hyundai and Uber presented a concept of a flying, electric-powered air taxi with four propellers. This S-A1 is to transport people from 2023.

According to Hyundai, the electric air taxi, which has to take off and land vertically, has a range of 100 km and is designed for a cruising speed of 290 km/h at an altitude of between 300 and 600 meters. The manufacturer says that charging the batteries takes about five to seven minutes.

A total of four passengers can fly and there is also a seat for the pilot, although the companies say the air taxi will gradually be able to fly autonomously, without the need for a pilot. The various smaller propellers lead to greater safety and less noise, according to Hyundai.

Uber says there will be a flying demonstration with the S-A1 before the end of this year, with the transition from vertical takeoff to horizontal forward propulsion being a key element. It is not yet known when this demonstration will take place. It is also unknown what the production schedule looks like. The S-A1 is scheduled to be available for Uber commercial use in 2023.