InterGlobe And Archer Aviation Plan Electric Air Taxi Service In India By 2026

This e-electric "Midnight" aircraft can carry four passengers (photo: twitter @adamgoldstein13)

InterGlobe Enterprises, which supports India's top airline, IndiGo, together with Archer Aviation, plans to launch an electric air taxi service in India by 2026. This service is believed to be "priced competitive" with ground services. This was announced by the two companies on Thursday, November 9.

This collaboration, if you get regulatory approval, aims to take advantage of the increasing need for transportation solutions in the world's most populous countries that are battling land traffic congestion and pollution in their main cities.

Archer Aviation, backed by companies such as Stellantis (induk Chrysler), Boeing, and United Airlines, makes the aircraft take off and land vertically electric (eVTOL) which is considered the future of urban air mobility.

The "Midnight" e-electric plane can carry four passengers and a pilot for up to 100 miles (about 161 kilometers). The service aims to start with 200 aircraft and will begin in Delhi, the national capital, Mumbai, the country's financial capital, and Bengaluru, known as India's Silicon Valley.

The two companies said the usual 60 to 90 minute trip by car in Delhi, for example, would take about 7 minutes by air taxi.

InterGlobe Enterprises, which owns nearly 38% of InterGlobe Aviation's shares, parent IndiGo, as well as the hotel and logistics business, also plans to use e-electric aircraft for cargo, logistics, medical, emergency, and rental services.

Archer Aviation received a USD 142 million (IDR 2.2 trillion) contract from the United States Air Force in July to provide six Midnight aircraft, and announced in October that it would launch air taxi services in the United Arab Emirates.