Japan hopes to have electric flying taxis by 2027

Japanese airline ANA, which has partnered with an American startup, said Thursday (7) that it hopes to fly the first electric “air taxis” in Japan from 2027.

ANA and California-based Joby Aviation have announced their intention to create a joint venture with the goal of deploying more than 100 five-seat aircraft.

An ANA spokesperson explained to AFP that the vehicles, designed to carry a pilot and up to four passengers at speeds of up to 320 km/h, could enter service in 2027.

These flying taxis “will revolutionize our air mobility,” ANA CEO Koji Shibata said in a statement Monday.

The project mainly covers routes between Tokyo and Narita and Haneda international airports, which serve the Japanese capital.

Currently, a journey by car or train between central Tokyo and Narita takes more than an hour, but Joby's five-seater vehicle could cut that time to 15 minutes, ANA said.

ANA and Joby will hold a public demonstration of these flying taxis during the Osaka World Expo in October.

“A place where ancient wisdom, legendary craftsmanship and transcendent ambition meet: that is Japan,” said JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby Aviation.

And that makes it an extraordinary launchpad for redefining the future of air mobility.

Joby's vehicles take off vertically, like a helicopter, and then transition to forward flight like an airplane, "with minimal acoustic impact and zero operational emissions," according to the company.

In December, flying taxi startup Volocopter announced it was filing for bankruptcy, just days after another German company in the sector, Lilium, was rescued from its bankruptcy.

Volocopter aimed to enter the market in 2025 with its two-seat electric air taxi model “Volocity”.

In particular, it suffered a symbolic setback in the summer of 2024 with the cancellation of flight tests initially scheduled to take place in Paris during the Olympic Games, as aircraft engine certification was not obtained in time.

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