IndiGo's Electric Air Taxi To Begin Trials Next Year, Shrinking Delhi-Gurgaon Commute To 7 Minutes

Archer Aviation, a leader in electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, aims to begin trials of its electric air taxi in India next year, ahead of a planned commercial launch in 2026, the company's chief executive Adam Goldstein told Reuters.

California-based Archer last year entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with InterGlobe Enterprises, the parent company of IndiGo, to introduce electric air taxis in India, subject to appropriate regulatory approvals and clearances.

The partnership will, in a joint venture, own and operate 200 of Archer’s 'Midnight' aircraft, valued at $1 billion.

The goal is for a passenger on an InterGlobe-Archer flight to be able to fly the 27-km Delhi trip from Connaught Place to Gurugram, typically taking 60 to 90 minutes by car, in approximately 7 minutes.

Archer’s Midnight aircraft is a piloted, four-passenger electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft designed to perform rapid back-to-back flights with minimal charge time between flights.

As the acronym suggests, an electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft is one that uses electric power to hover, take off, and land vertically.

For commercial operations, Archer is in the final stages of securing approvals from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States. The company anticipates receiving these approvals next year, following which it will proceed to seek clearances in India.

Archer is working with India's aviation watchdog to get the "appropriate regulatory approvals" before it can begin trials in the country, its chief commercial officer Nikhil Goel said, adding it is already conducting trials in California.

According to Goel, Archer's inaugural launch will take place in New York, with India positioned as its first international market.