FutureFlight
Airbus Unveils Plans for Larger, Fixed-wing eVTOL Aircraft
The European aerospace group has finally showed its hand for the advanced air mobility market after several years of studies with the Vahana and CityAirbus technology demonstrators.
Airbus CityAirbus
Airbus has unveiled the design for its CityAirbus NextGen eVTOL aircraft. (Image: Airbus)

Airbus today unveiled long-awaited plans for an eVTOL aircraft, making clear its intentions for the advanced air mobility market after extensive flight trials with the CityAirbus and Vahana technology demonstrators. At the European aerospace group’s September 21 sustainability summit in Toulouse, France, it unveiled a design for a fixed-wing aircraft, with a V-shaped tail and eight sets of electric motors and propellers.

An engineering team led by Airbus Helicopters is working on the detailed design for the CityAirbus NextGen model, with the aim of achieving a first flight with a prototype in 2023, en route to type certification in 2025. It will carry up to four passengers on flights of up to 80 km (50 miles) and at speeds of 120 km/h (75 mph).