Air taxi eVTOLs star at Paris Air Show’s first aerial mobility section
The Paris Air Show broke all records for attendance with its habitual large-draw long-haul passenger planes and military jets, but the main stars of the 2023 biannual event were arguably the next-generation electric takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxis making their first appearance.
The Paris Air Show closed its doors at Le Bourget yesterday, with organizers reporting 400,000 visitors during the first weeklong exhibition since COVID-19 forced cancellation of the 2021 event. While most of the $55 billion in deals signed during the gathering involved traditional aircraft, however, no small amount of that activity – and public interest – was generated by the show’s first-ever Paris Air Mobility section, gathering top eVTOL developers readying air taxi services for as early as next year.
DroneDJ checked out the tech on hand and now shares a few images of the new annual attraction.
Full-sized and -equipped eVTOLs by leading sector companies Archer and Volocopter attracted enormous crowd interest – the latter as the craft scheduled to provide the world’s first air taxi services during the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.
Sector rivals including Eve and Lilium participated with demonstration models of their respective air taxi passenger sections.
Other makers featured reduced-scale versions of their eVTOLs, including Toulouse-based Ascendance Flight Technologies’ hybrid-fueled, wing-ducted rotor-powered air taxi.
Also present were developers Airbus, Wisk, AutoFlight, Plana, Joby, and China’s EHang, which exhibited its full-scale craft.
Not surprisingly, the largest crowds to Paris Air Mobility congregated around the full-sized eVTOLs displayed by Volocopter and Archer. Close inspection of both craft revealed the emphasis makers are placing on passenger comfort and flight information tailored to each trip.
Also visible amid the new-car smells of those interiors were the controls and navigation panels pilots will use for air taxi operation.
Those and other proud displays of aerial tech doubled as sweeteners to close the many deals concluded by on-hand air taxi companies with future suppliers of their eVTOL components.
Read: Volocopter adds emergency medical response to diversifying air taxi uses
But also vital to the maiden Paris Air Mobility exhibit, said Paris Air Show chief organizer Patrick Daher, was familiarizing and enticing visiting members of the public through close-up and personal interaction with emerging transportation they’ll soon be seeing aloft – and taking for their own inner-urban travel.
“The technologies are ready, the first tests have been successful, and the revolution of daily aerial mobility may be for tomorrow,” Daher said. “Will those ‘cars’ be flying in the skies above the cities of tomorrow like in science-fiction motives? We’re almost there… and this event allows us to help the public understand that better.”
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With its tire-blistering acceleration and record-setting performance, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra has been getting attention throughout the auto industry, impressing everyone who’s seen it. That “everyone” now seems to include the OG supercar brand, itself.
CarNewsChina posted pictures from a Weibo user that reportedly show a Xiaomi SU7 Ultra exiting the storied Ferrari factory in Maranello, Italy. According to a Chinese blogger going by 西米露在博洛尼亚 (which seems to translate to “Sago Dessert in Bologna”), the prancing horse brand is actively benchmarking the Chinese hypercar for its own upcoming EV.
The SU7 Ultra was definitely coming from inside Ferrari’s facility. After verification, we learned this specific vehicle was officially purchased by Ferrari for testing, and the development of their next-generation electric platform.
Yet another Chinese auto blogger, 苏黎世贝勒爷, claims that Ferrari representatives visited Xiaomi headquarters last year, allegedly to discuss the joint development of next-generation high-performance EV motors.
The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra made its debut last year, promising 1,548 hp, sub 2.0-second 0-60 mph times, and a top speed well over 200 mph – all at a price lower than a Tesla Model S Plaid or Porsche Taycan Turbo GT. The car sold out almost immediately after it was unveiled, racking up some 50,000 orders almost overnight.
The new electric benchmark
In the automotive world, “benchmarking” is a process in which car companies systematically tear down each others’ competitive products to compare everything from sound insulation, vehicle ride and handling, component materials, and even manufacturing methods against their own or against other industry leaders. The goal is to evaluate performance, cost, quality, and other key metrics, effectively figuring out “where they stand” in the market.
If Ferrari really did buy an SU7 to benchmark it against their own upcoming electric supercar, it’s more than just a curiosity – it could mean that the highest tiers of automotive innovation have shifted from West to East. Maybe forever.
Featured image via Xiaomi; sources throughout the post.
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We’re finally getting our first teases of the upgraded 2027 Chevy Bolt, built on GM’s battery/motor platform formerly known as Ultium. So far, so good for the vehicle, which will be revealed later this Fall.
Chevy took to social media today to tease the 2027 Chevy Bolt, saying, “You asked, we listened. The #ChevyBolt is back and better than ever. More this fall. 👀”
Chevy ended the original Bolt program with the 2023 model, which was loved by a loyal group of customers (including myself). Some of the major gripes, including charging speed and rear brake lights, already look to be addressed. Also, a new more aggressive fascia is debuting.
Electrek’s take
GM has done an incredible job keeping the 2027 Bolt under wraps. It will be the first GM vehicle with a native NACS port after the Cadillac Optiq-V, which we spied in Seattle last week.
Hopefully, the new Bolt will have improved charging speeds over and above the 54kW that previous Bolts adhered to. One possible downgrade is that the old Bolt’s amazing wireless CarPlay/Android Auto system will likely be replaced by GM’s move to Android’s built-in experience. For a few years, the Chevy Bolt was the most affordable long-range EV, and it won our 2022 Electrek car of the year for its versatility and price.
I would, of course, like to see the new Bolt as a hot hatchback, but GM CEO Mary Barra has hinted that it will likely take more of the EUV’s SUV form factor. Things like AWD options, SuperCruise, pricing, power and range are yet to be revealed, but stay tuned to Electrek for the latest on Bolt developments.
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On today’s test-acular episode of Quick Charge, it’s a new day and a new Chinese ADAS test for Tesla to conquer – but this one’s got a LOT more pedestrian carnage to parse through! We’ve also got some great e-bike deals from Retrospec and a bladder-busting Hyundai.
Today’s episode is brought to you by Retrospec – the makers of sleek, powerful e-bikes and outdoor gear built for everyday adventure! To that end, we’ve got a pair of Retrospec e-bike reviews followed up by the updated Hyundai IONIQ 6 with nearly 350 miles of range from its updated long-range battery. With that, Hyundai now has the longest range Korean EV on the market, while Texas is adding megawatts of battery energy storage to beef up its troubled grid, and it’s doing so faster and cheaper than ever before.
Plus: Quick Charge listeners can get an extra 10% off the price of their next awesome e-bike by using code ELECTREK10 at retrospec.com!
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If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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