InterGlobe Enterprises is set to introduce electric air taxis that will significantly shorten the travel time between Delhi's Connaught Place and Gurugram, reducing the current 60-90 minute journey to a remarkable 7 minutes.
InterGlobe Enterprises, the driving force behind IndiGo, has made a groundbreaking move by collaborating with Archer Aviation, a leading electric air taxi company from California, to establish electric air taxi services across India.
InterGlobe's entry into the air taxi segment follows FlyBlade India's earlier announcements of eVTOL plans. Last September, FlyBlade India secured a non-binding order for up to 200 eVTOL aircraft from Embraer-backed Eve.
FlyBlade India, a frontrunner in urban aviation, has paved the way for air taxi services in India. In March, the company partnered with Jaunt Air Mobility to bring eVTOL operations to the country by 2027.
Beyond urban air taxi services, InterGlobe Enterprises and Archer Aviation intend to explore a diverse range of applications for electric aircraft in India, encompassing cargo, logistics, medical and emergency services, as well as private company and charter operations," the company stated.
The InterGlobe-Archer collaboration will involve financing the purchase of up to 200 Midnight aircraft for their operations in India. The Midnight aircraft, a piloted four-passenger eVTOL aircraft, is engineered for efficient back-to-back flights with minimal charging time between trips.
InterGlobe has dedicated the past two decades to providing safe, efficient, and affordable transportation to countless Indians nationwide. We are thrilled to embark on this new venture and introduce Archer's electric aircraft to India, offering an innovative, sustainable, and futuristic mode of transportation," stated Rahul Bhatia, InterGlobe's Group Managing Director.
Archer's Chief Commercial Officer Nikhil Goel emphasized India's unparalleled potential for eVTOL aircraft utilization, highlighting its massive population of over 1.4 billion people and the severe traffic congestion challenges faced by its major cities.
Archer Aviation, supported by industry titans such as Boeing, United Airlines, and Stellantis, is spearheading the advancement of electric air taxis. Notably, Boeing is also working on its eVTOL, Wisk, poised to become the world's first self-flying, autonomous, four-seater electric air taxi.