GM announces their Cadillac eVTOL electric air-taxi at CES 2021.

In order to enter the growing eVTOL air-electric taxi market, General Motors announced a battery-powered personal aircraft at the CES 2021 technology trade exhibition.

The Cadillac-branded craft features four rotors, a 90-kWh electric motor, and can take off and land vertically. It resembles The Jetsons more than any modern automobiles. The craft will be able to fly at 56 mph, based on the images and animations.

Forays into electric personal aviation now look more likely because to quick developments in batteries, electric motors, and cloud-based services for electric automobiles and trucks. It appears that GM’s significant investment in its Ultium EV hardware program will pay off handsomely in this case.

Hyundai is one of many auto and aircraft manufacturers actively working on eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft. The company’s S-A1 model is intended to fly journeys with four passengers of up to 100 kilometers at a cruising speed of up to 290 km/h (180 miles/h) and an altitude of roughly 1,000 to 2,000 feet.

Hyundai joined together with ridesharing service Uber for the first time in early 2020 as part of its Uber Elevate effort, which aims to create Uber Air Taxis for potential future aerial ridesharing.

It’s unclear at this time whether GM has a working eVTOL prototype or what will happen next in the growth of this new business for the company. The creation of an emission-free air taxi service is the aim. According to Michael Simcoe, vice president of global design at GM, “we’re ready for a world where improvements in electrics and autonomous technologies make personal air travel viable.” The business envisions using the vehicle to ferry passengers from rooftop to rooftop at designated VTOL ports, avoiding the automotive gridlock below. The business gave very little additional information or a launch date for the project. However, GM wants to sell the car in the luxury segment.

Although the  GM air taxi is still in the planning level, we will undoubtedly hear so much about it in the upcoming years. The Celestiq, which GM is referring to as “Cadillac’s future premium sedan,” is anticipated to be a low-volume car that is hand-built and tailored to the needs of each buyer, with a price tag to match. It will include a four-piece glass canopy, all-wheel driving, and four-wheel driving. Each tenant can choose their own level of roof transparency thanks to the controllable “smart” glass made of suspended particles. Full-width displays will be available for the driver and front passenger, while individual leisure screens will be available for the passengers in the back.

Simcoe continued, “It’s an idea for when timing is of the essence and convenience is everything. The business is also developing a two-seat VTOL air taxi.

The car is a part of GM’s wider plan to release hundreds of brand-new electric cars over the next few years. The business unveiled a different design for a high-end road-based taxi that during CES showcase.

Perks of Having GM Electric Taxi

Similar concepts have also been discussed by Hyundai, and on the very day GM unveiled its new concept, Archer and Fiat Chrysler teamed up to try to break into the market.

According to reports, the Archer/Hyundai car would use an 187kWh battery pack and have a 60-mile range. In addition, this electric taxi will be capable of flying at 150 mph, a substantial improvement over the 56 mph GM version.

The company says the four-rotor aircraft is powered by a 90 kWh battery and can reach speeds of up to 56 mph. The sleek, electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft would be GM’s first attempt into aerial mobility. Beyond that, information is scant; GM refrained from disclosing further technical information, let alone committing to manufacturing or providing a timeline for when we may expect to see these eVTOLs in the air. According to the pictures, this appears to be a single-seat drone that is used for autonomously performing quick urban hops.