Airbus Helicopters has recently announced the suspension of its CityAirbus NextGen electric air taxi project, following the completion of its current test flight campaign. This strategic move, revealed after a thorough review at the end of 2024, highlights the challenges the manufacturer faces in bringing the four-passenger eVTOL aircraft to market.
The European Union, through the efforts of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), is pioneering the integration of advanced aerial technologies into urban settings. This progressive stance is epitomized by the establishment of the U-space regulatory framework.
Imagine a world where rush hour traffic is a distant memory, and commutes are measured not in minutes stuck on congested roads, but in breathtaking cityscapes whizzing by beneath you. This is the future that Airbus hopes to create with its innovative CityAirbus NextGen, an all-electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle poised to revolutionize urban transportation.
In the bustling corridors of aerospace innovation, a partnership is taking shape that’s poised to redefine urban mobility. Airbus, a titan in the aviation industry, has joined forces with MAGicALL, a Californian specialist in electric propulsion, to create the CityAirbus NextGen – a forerunner in the eVTOL (Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) space. This collaboration, announced on May 10, 2023, is not just about developing an aircraft; it’s about crafting a new narrative for urban transportation.
The European maker has disclosed who will be supplying the electrical power system and cockpit design for their eVTOL prototype. Eaton and Crouzet were awarded the contracts for these two key parts, which should speed up the development of the CityAirbus NextGen vehicle.