Uber has shared more details on a flying car that could eventually transport you around cities.
At its second Elevate summit this week, Uber is revealing new concept images that shed light on what it’s hoping will be the flying cars that carry passengers in the future. The concepts show four propellers around the aircraft that will allow it to take off from the ground. A single rotor on the tail will move the flying car forward. Passengers will sit in the middle of the aircraft and up front, and a pilot will carry the passengers (up to a maximum of four) to their destinations. Uber is calling its latest renderings electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles common reference models, or eCRM.
“The eCRM design is pedestrian friendly, as the propeller blades are as high as possible, leaving ample room for individuals to board and de-plane without having to duck,” Uber said in a statement on Tuesday. “The high placement of the wings provide shaded entry into the cabin, shielding riders from light rain as they board. Finally, point of entry into the eCRMs is limited to one side, simplifying ground crew operations and reducing confusion for riders when they approach their eVTOL vehicle.”
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For now, the concept vehicle is slated to have a cruising speed of between 150 miles per hour and 200 miles per hour, Uber said in a statement. It’ll also fly at between 1,000 and 2,000 feet and can last up to 60 miles before the electric vehicle’s battery needs to be recharged. It’ll take only five minutes to recharge the battery, Uber said. The flying cars will likely be refueled at the thousands of rooftop “skyports” Uber hopes to erect in cities across the U.S. Those skyports will be able to accommodate 200 liftoffs and landings each hour.
Uber has been working on a flying car concept for quite some time. The company believes that with drone technology advancing and urban transportation not the easiest for travelers to overcome, taking to the air is a reasonable solution.
Ultimately, Uber wants to make its service, to be known as Uber Air, a drone-based system that won’t require pilots. However, the company said on Tuesday that the offering will initially have a pilot and will move to an autonomous system at some point in the future.
Uber has promised to get its flying cars into the air over Dallas, Dubai, and Los Angeles by 2020.
