Vertical Aerospace's CEO Explains Electric Air Taxi Trends and How to Break Through the Competition

Vertical Aerospace's CEO Explains Electric Air Taxi Trends 

and How to Break Through the Competition

Stephen Fitzpatrick, founder and CEO of Vertical Aerospace, a startup developing an electric air cab (eVTOL), is at the center of some of the most exciting developments in the electrification of flight. In addition, he is the founder of OVO Energy and Kaluza, two companies that are playing a key role in accelerating the use and electrification of renewable energy - so it is no surprise that he has been called the UK's Elon Musk. In this article, it is described how he sees electric air transportation, what needs to be done and when to make it a sustainable business, and how he will make it happen.

Like many others, Stephen has been influenced by the "Shame of Flight" movement, so he has been working hard to find a solution that will allow humans to continue to travel by air while effectively reducing emissions. I don't think we can voluntarily stop flying after waiting thousands of years for the human dream to come true," he said. If you think about all the ingenuity and technology that went into the creation of the first airplane 70 years ago, the dream of decarbonized flight can be realized if we have the same determination. That's something I'm very interested in."

Of course, realizing this dream will require new ways of flying. Vertical Airlines has opted for vertical takeoff and landing, a technology that has benefited from significant advances in motors, batteries and materials. Specifically, the same propellers lift the aircraft off the ground and then propel it forward. Vertical Airways' eVTOLs are a mix of airplanes and helicopters, using only eight rotors instead of one. They have a range of about 170 kilometers, a top speed of 320 km/h and can carry up to four passengers, which is why they are called air cabs, suitable for urban transportation rather than an alternative to long-haul flights.

But the benefits are huge: zero emissions during the flight, but also quiet, safe and economical. eVTOL is 80% cheaper than a helicopter ride," Stephen says. It will allow almost everyone living in the city to fly vertically. We will certify the vehicle between 2024 and 2025, so in the next three or four years you will see these aircraft flying in major cities." He added that his company has already received orders for nearly 1,500 aircraft from airlines around the world.

How can air cab rides be so cheap? At about $1 per mile, the price is equivalent to a taxi cab ride of one mile. This is due to the price of energy (electricity is still much cheaper than kerosene) and much lower maintenance and operating costs - just like electric cars, due to the few moving parts used in the electric drivetrain. All in all, using electric air cabs to travel through major cities will save users a lot of time and money.

Until recently, all of this sounded like science fiction. Taking a cue from the electric car world and even Formula 1, eVTOL technology has made leaps and bounds in a very short period of time, Stephen concludes, "I don't remember who to give credit to, but I think it's that we overestimated what we could achieve in two years and underestimated what we could achieve in ten years, and for us, we saw aerospace, we saw the electrification of propulsion, the energy storage, the advanced materials, the tremendous advances in supercomputers, all of these technologies are converging and will revolutionize aerospace in the same way that electrification has transformed the automotive industry."

In his view, experts often overlook the fact that technology tends to evolve at an almost exponential rate, leading to an evolution that everyone thought would take decades to achieve in just a few years. If that's true for electric urban transportation, it's certainly true for long-haul flights, Stephen continues: "With the science, chemistry and technology we have at our disposal today, it's easy to create a zero-carbon aviation economy. Whether it's based on hydrogen, ammonia or some kind of synthetic kerosene, we're going to see a combination of electric propulsion and chemical energy storage in the next 10 to 20 years.

The key, of course, is to translate advanced technological advances into profitable business, Stephen says, adding that while there are tremendous opportunities in a zero-carbon world, patience and scientific rigor, as well as a big-picture view, are the most essential requirements.

"Having a vision keeps you motivated. But it's also important to start small and find niches or opportunities where you can develop skills, capabilities, credibility, raise capital and find valuable applications for what you're doing. If technology makes that possible and better for the consumer, then that's the future. It's going to happen sooner or later."

Of course, none of this can happen alone. Vertical Aerospace works closely with airlines, engineering firms and materials suppliers such as Solvay, which developed the composite structure for its air cab. stephen describes: "In the business world, we often convince ourselves that we are the best company, the best team, that we do everything ourselves, design every The idea that we are the best company to develop every part of a complex product like an electric airplane is certainly theoretically possible. But the question is, wouldn't it be better to be the best in the world in some areas and then work with the best in the world in others?"

That's exactly what Vertical Aerospace has been doing, and the success of its partners may be the best harbinger of its future business success. stephen concludes, "If you have some of the world's leading engineering firms and the largest airlines all investing in your project successfully, then you're much more likely to succeed than if you're trying to compete with everyone else. The likelihood is much greater than if you try to compete with everyone. I don't want to compete with anybody. We're all working together on this project."