There are more solutions than obstacles, Nicolas Zart
The Evolution of Advanced Air Mobility: A 30-Year Journey
For over a decade, the concept of advanced air mobility (AAM), formerly known as urban air mobility (UAM), has captivated imaginations with the promise of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Today, electric air mobility is evolving into a more pragmatic and sustainable aerial mobility platform.
From EVs to eVTOL UAM
2014 was the year when electric vehicle (EV) reality became a reality. While many startups struggled, Tesla was riding high on the success of its Roadster and was introducing the Model S captivating a tech-savvy clientele. I was at the Models S P90D Hawthorn HQ unveil. What a show it was! It was also then that I saw the Elon Musk we would all come to know by now, for better or worse. If Tesla then was a chic, electric car geek heaven, today’s Tesla clientele is a far different crowd. The early crowd is now turning a cold shoulder on the public CEO. Still, this success rests on the early precursor of EVs, AC Propulsion and their amazing t-zero.
The Author’s first Tesla Roadster drive, circa 2008. All Rights Reserved, Nicolas Zart ©
Eventually, something turned our attention away from EVs to electric air mobility. UAM was born or better yet, was being reborn.
UAM got its restart at the same time as EVs did. It’s well-acknowledged that Honda, Toyota, GM, and Ford rekindled the electric drive in the late 1990s. What’s not as well known was that these were side-projects that gained interest when the global financial meltdown of 2008 left carmakers with nothing to show for it. Honda came out with the first mass-produced hybrid Insight followed by Toyota’s Prius. GM and Ford were working on a true EV, as was Toyota. Sadly, all unceremoniously yanked them out to be destroyed in front of their adoring public eye. See Who Killed the Electric Car for a refresher on that era.
In 2014, then-CEO and Chairman of Embraer, Paulo Cesar de Souza e Silva, offered a prophetic vision for the future of AAM. He emphasized lightweight, mass-manufactured eVTOLs that could fly 15 to 20 minutes, and cost around $400,000. By 2017, Airbus flew its electric e-Fan, a 1,300-lb, 20-foot-long aircraft piloted by Didier Esteyne from Lydd, England, to the French port of Calais. Finally, the future of AAM was set in motion in 2017 when Uber Elevator produced its AAM whitepaper.
A Progressive and Strategic Roadmap to AAM
All new industries face similar challenges in the beginning. The early days are steeped in hype. this is followed by a period when investor funding dries up. Today in AAM, we witness a second wave of startups with more mature projects. Yet the funding remains a hurdle.
A more pragmatic approach to AAM is emerging, shifting away from eVTOLs to electric short take-off and landing (eSTOL) aircraft. eSTOLs offer faster regulatory certification and improved energy efficiency by eliminating the vertical-to-horizontal transition. They are increasingly seen as a perfect AAM introduction until battery energy and the business around AAM matures.
A Multi-Mobility Future
The true potential of AAM lies in its integration with other electric mobility solutions. At Electric Air Mobility, LLC, we envision vertiport ecosystems that accommodate eVTOLs, eSTOLs, EVs, and even electric boats. These energy hubs will be strategically located near transportation hubs, making electric mobility a seamless and efficient reality.
This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity we’re lucky to witness is not without its challenges. Adequate funding is a significant hurdle, and the development of infrastructure requires time and substantial investment. Nonetheless, the promise of a cleaner, quieter, and more flexible means of mobility is an opportunity we cannot afford to miss. The evolution of mobility, from human-powered transportation to electric propulsion, mirrors the natural progression of our societies.
As we look back on the past thirty years of AAM, we can expect even more significant advancements in the years to come, bringing us closer to a future that once seemed like a dream.
Additional Reading and Resources:
- https://electricairmobility.news/news/airbus-helicopters-unveils-cityairbus-nextgen-flying-taxi-design
- https://electricairmobility.news/news/volocopter-and-lilium-jet-among-top-evtol-manufacturers-according-to-aam-reality-index
- https://electricairmobility.news/news/paris-region-aims-for-carbon-free-aviation-with-advanced-air-mobility-alliance
- https://electricairmobility.news/news/vports-to-build-advanced-air-mobility-integrator-center-in-dubai
Nicolas, yet again, you have summed up the salient points of the trajectory of air mobility. Very large challenges remain, of course, across a wide swath of regulation and industry, but writers and thinkers and reporters like you are continuing to unmask and express not only the challenges but the promises this nascent industry portends. The field has brought forth an enormous pool of talent that are dedicated to see the reality of AAM emerge in our lifetime. The promise has been there, the commitments are being met, funding sources are increasingly seeing the investment benefits, and we find ourselves, all of us in this space, putting our collective backs into it to address and solve the challenges, one element at a time. We are not only witness to, but contributors to, a new aerial enterprise that will only grow and translate eventually into a potential that is yet unidentified; the horizon is an incomparable potential. Keep the momentum positive and ongoing.
Chuck, I can’t tell you how much I value your opinion and how much you mean to me as a friend, a mentor, and a colleague in our industry. What’s even more terrific is how we are building a pool of like-minded professionals who work together. We are designing the future of electric air mobility and a future of professionals operating on the same foundations. This is a once-in-a-lifetime revolution and I’m happy we are sharing it together.
You are right as to the funding aspect of the infrastructure side of AAM. It’s happening, slowly maybe but happening nonetheless.
Thanks for your thoughtful comment!