There will be electric air taxis in Paris by 2024

Next year, the city of Paris will host one of the most important sporting events in the world, the Olympic Games, so it is preparing as well as possible to receive athletes and travelers from all over the world.

One of the novelties that the city of light is preparing is the creation of the first network of electric taxis in the world, which will have air taxis called VoloCity.

During Amsterdam Drone Week, Paris airport operator Group ADP, Solène Le Bris, announced that they are trying to launch the world’s first e-VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) pre-commercial service.

According to Le Bris, there will be five vertiports where passengers can board the vehicles, in fact, since last November one has already been operating as a test center in Cergy-Pontoise.

VoloCity air taxis will use existing helicopter routes and fly with a passenger and pilot along two routes, making short trips from Charles de Gaulle airport to Le Bourget and then to a new landing pad at Austerlitz Paris, and others from Paris to Sans-Cyr.

Likewise, Romain Erny, head of aerospace and mobility at Choose Paris Region mentioned that the public’s response will determine the future of air taxis and that the Olympic and Paralympic Games will be of great importance in defining it. “The main lesson is to see how people react to this new type of services” For the majority of the citizens of Paris is still science fiction! They need to touch it, they need to be inside the vehicle, and we need your feedback. The Olympic Games are the beginning”.

The “passenger experience” in ports aims to be as efficient as possible: some cities want it to be like a subway, others want more security, said Ankit Dass, chief technology officer of Skyports, the British wing of the project.

The expert team is currently debating whether they need additional landing pads in case of problems, and whether wind turbulence from the helicopters could have a negative effect, even if the taxis fly lower.

Le Brin said how the tickets will be allocated has not yet been decided, but there will likely be a limited number.

“We are also discussing the use of e-VTOL for medical purposes, with hospitals in Paris,” he added. “Emergency doctors say that if you arrive at the scene one minute before a heart attack, you increase your chances of survival by 10%.”