Flying taxis in 2024 ?

Paris will begin testing flying taxis in June 2021 in preparation for the 2024 Summer Olympics. Will 2021 be the year when flying cars and taxis will finally become a reality? If we want to believe the latest news and rumors, the answer is yes !

Recently, an Australian millionaire has announced a series of competitions called Flying F1, which is scheduled to start next year. And now we’ve also learned that Paris will begin testing flying taxis in June 2021 in preparation for the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Operational tests will begin next June and will take place at Pontoise-Cormeilles-en-Vexin Airport, a 90-minute drive northwest of the capital. The announcement was made jointly by the Ile-de-France region, the airport operator Groupe ADP and the public transport company RATP, who were the ones who cooperated in the launch of the service in Paris.

Complete electric aircraft manufactured by a German start-up called Volocopter will be used for the experiment. The drone-like vehicle is called the VoloCity and is the first commercially available air taxi in the world. If the name Volocopter sounds familiar, it’s because the German company announced similar experiments with the city of Dubai in 2017 and trust that they will start actual operations in the next two to three years.

The company has raised $ 55 million for VoloCity, which will be manufactured by China’s Geely Holding. Not coincidentally, as it is one of the largest automotive conglomerates with car brands such as Volvo, Lotus and Proton. The VoloCity flying taxi has nine electric batteries that run a total of 18 engines. For the time being, it has a range of 35 kilometers and a top speed of 110 km / h.

Florian Reuter, CEO of Volocopter, told reporters that if these tests go the way they hoped, the prototype will be ready to fly at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Vallerie Pécresse, regional president of Ile-de-France, said it all depends on whether the 2024 test goes well.

If so, we will test the product by 2030. After that, if they are completely safe and suitable for passengers as well, there is no obstacle to these flying taxis appearing in the capital – said the French politician.