Paris Austerlitz railway station is one of the most important hubs in Paris. At stations in the southeast of the French capital, passengers can transfer to TGV express trains, commuter trains, buses and the metro. In summer 2024, a new mode of transportation will be added: air taxis.
Airport operator Aéroports de Paris (ADP) is planning to build a floating platform directly on the Seine at the Austerlitz train station from which German start-up Volocopter’s electric miniplane will take off. It is one of five take-off and landing locations where Paris plans to become the world’s first metropolis to offer a commercial air taxi network during next year’s Olympics.
There’s a lot of hype about electric planes that can take off and land vertically. So-called electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, or eVTOL for short, could be developed as a climate-friendly and fast alternative in urban traffic. Companies and metropolises alike are racing to see who can bring the technology to market first and where.
“We want to be the leading region in urban aviation,” said Valérie Pécresse, Regional President of the Capital Ile-de-France. Volocopter boss Dirk Hoke sees the flights over the densely populated metropolis as an important test of the wider market launch. “If we can fly to Paris, then we can fly anywhere.”
However, it is uncertain whether the program will continue beyond the Olympic and Paralympic Games. And the approval process could be tight: Volocopter doesn’t expect European aviation safety agency EASA to give final certification to the 18-rotor aircraft until spring 2024.
So Pecles spoke tentatively of “experiments.” The service is a long way from being a true local transportation solution and is more like a helicopter scenic flight. “VoloCity” has only two seats, and the pilot sits in one of them.
In addition to the air taxi stand at Austerlitz station, four landing sites will be built: on the southwestern outskirts of the city, on the outskirts of Versailles, Charles de Gaulle international airport and the smaller Le Bourget airport, where the Olympic media center will be located.
>> Read here: Is the dream of electric flight getting closer now?
According to Pecres, a dozen “VoloCity” aircraft will then fly in Paris airspace. ADP boss Augustin de Romanet gave a possible fare of 110 euros per trip, but Volocopter did not confirm this. However, Volocopter boss Hawke announced that the trips would be subsidized, making them affordable for many.
For the company from Bruchsal in Baden-Württemberg, the aim of Paris is not yet to make money, but above all to improve its image. The competition is fierce, and the departure date of the plane is of great symbolic importance to the business.
“Starting with a two-seater model, we can go to market immediately, not two years later,” Hoke said. A multi-seater is already in development, but it still depends on the availability of more powerful batteries. For perspective, the manager puts ticket prices in the “expensive taxi” range, and we’re talking three to four euros per passenger per kilometer.
So-called electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, or eVTOL for short, could be developed as a climate-friendly and fast alternative in urban traffic.
(Photo: Reuters)
At last week’s Paris Air Show, the industry’s presence was stronger than ever. eVTOL developers filled the showroom with futuristic prototypes. American company Archer has unveiled a four-seater plane that will connect New York’s Newark Airport to Manhattan starting in 2025.
Competition for market maturity
“Fast access to the market is of course important, especially when it comes to financial and financial markets,” explains Daniel Wiegand, co-founder of Munich-based eVTOL developer Lilium. “Airlines is a very long-term business, so every month is not important for growth.” But every month costs money, and investors should remain confident.
But Wiegand said safety was always the top priority. The eVTOL model must go through the approval process of the European Aviation Safety Agency EASA, which has the same safety standards as commercial aircraft.
>> Read also: eVTOL Developer Lilium Raises New Funding
Lilium’s booth at the Paris Air Show is next to Volocopter. However, unlike its Baden-Württemberg competition, the Bavarians rely on jet propulsion. Also, they are not focused on intra-city routes, but on short-haul regional connections.
This is an affluent market currently served by helicopters and business jets. Still, Wiegand said: “In the medium term, our goal is to have seats that are not too expensive compared to ICE tickets.” staff price.
For Guillaume Faury, head of Airbus, the world’s largest aircraft maker, there is no business model for the eVTOL newcomer and “the cost is too high at the moment,” Faury told Handelsblatt. He assesses Paris’ plans for air taxis cautiously: “In my opinion, the technical solution is not enough to enter the market, nor has it been certified.”
more: Air taxi developer Lilium raises funding