Eve, the urban air mobility (UAM) unit of Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer, has announced joint plans with United Airlines to launch future air taxi flights across the San Francisco Bay Area as an aerial commuter option to the region’s frequently clogged roadways.
On Wednesday Eve announced its first operational project with United, which last year took a $15 million investment stake in the startup, and placed a conditional order for 200 of its air taxis while reserving an option for 200 more. The plan revealed today calls for the two companies to launch UAM commuter services across San Francisco and its surrounding area sometime after Eve’s intended type certification and commercialization of its electric vertical takeoff and landing planes (eVTOL) in 2026.
Read: After eVTOL air taxis, United to invest in e-planes for regional hops
In addition to announcing the first air taxi services in the densely populated, road-saturated San Francisco Bay Area, the move marks United’s apparent intention to keep its options open in developing its UAM activities.
Prior to its investment in Eve last year, United took a major shareholding stake in sector rival – and Bay Area startup – Archer Aviation, with which it previously revealed plans to launch air taxi services in Chicago and New York.
In contrast to those UAM shuttles transporting passengers to United’s hub at O’Hare and Newark airports respectively, however, its project with Eve in San Francisco is apparently aimed at a broader potential public.
“Our shared goal is to provide residents and visitors to the San Francisco Bay Area with efficient and cost-competitive transportation in one of the most densely populated urban areas in the US,” said Andre Stein, co-CEO of Eve – whose communiqué only mentioned the service with United as a “quick, economical and lower-carbon way to get to its hub airports” as a passing detail. “The Bay Area is perfect for eVTOL flights given its size, traffic, focus on sustainability, innovation, and commitment to add other options for mobility.”
Read: Eve racks up eVTOL craft and AAM vertiport deals to close 2022
The partners said routes, destinations served, location of vertiports, and the choice of energy and technology providers are still under consideration as the companies consult with local and state officials on the plan.
Although part of United’s equity, strategic, and operational relationship with Archer includes overlapping maintenance and repair capacities for their respective legacy aircraft and air taxis, Eve said the airline’s future, 60-mile range UAM craft may be overseen “by Eve’s service and support network.”
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