September 2022, United officially entered the race for flying taxis by announcing the acquisition of some 400 from an Embraer subsidiary, Eve Air Mobility. At the time, the company set the arrival of the first eVTOLs for 2026. On 23 March this year, United played another trump card. This time, with Archer that the US carrier intends to play a pioneering role. Archer took on a new dimension at the beginning of the year, Stellantis announcing in January that it was injecting up to 150 million dollars in equity in the American flying taxi specialist. United Airlines and Archer now intend to work together to launch the first eVTOLs in the skies over Europe. Chicagofrom 2025.
The Chicago O'Hare (ORD) will be linked to the Vertiport Chicago by the Midnightthe aircraft in which Stellantis has chosen to invest in particular. The Vertiport in question is billed as the largest vertical take-off and landing facility in North America. The Vertiport is located in the Medical District, near the Loop. According to those in charge of the project, it will take a ten-minute flight to complete the link, compared with an hour's drive during rush hour...
The latter, of course, point to the reduction in journey times for business travellers, but also to the decarbonisation of transport to which this innovation should contribute. " Archer and United are both committed to decarbonising air travel and leveraging innovative technologies to deliver on the promise of electrifying the aviation industry. "says Michael Leskinen. The President of United Airlines Ventures adds: " Once operational, we are delighted to be able to offer our customers a more sustainable, convenient and cost-effective way of getting to the airport. ".
The Mayor of Chicago also welcomes the arrival of the Midnight in the skies over the Windy City, not least for its image as an innovative destination: " Technological innovation thrives here in Chicago, and this venture between Archer and United is another example of that strength. "says Lori E. Lightfoot. She adds: " This exciting new technology will further decarbonising our means of transportwhich will bring us one step closer to our goal of combating climate change. I am delighted that Chicagoans will be among the first to discover this innovative and practical mode of transport. ".
