Airbus has revealed plans for CityAirbus NextGen, an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft with fixed wings, a V-shaped tail, and eight electrically fixed propellers as part of its uniquely distributed propulsion system. It's a four-seater that can be used for a variety of applications.
As the emerging Urban Air Mobility market begins to take shape, the new CityAirbus was announced at the company's first summit on "Pioneering Sustainable Aerospace." Tech-wise, the air taxi comes with similar specifications as its predecessor, being capable of flying on short distances of 50 miles (80 km).
CityAirbus NextGen has a cruising speed of 75 mph (120 kph), making it ideal for missions in megacities cities. And since it was designed to be operated across major cities, sound levels were a key factor. Airbus aims to bring CityAirbus' sound levels below 65 dB(A) during fly-over and below 70 dB(A) during landing. That's a noise level similar to the one produced by a vacuum cleaner.
The aircraft is designed for hover and cruise efficiency during the transition phase, while requiring no moving surfaces or tilting components. The CityAirbus NextGen was created with simplicity in mind, being able to meet the highest certification standards (EASA SC-VTOL Enhanced Category).
So far, Airbus' Vahana and CityAirbus demonstrators have completed 242 flight and ground tests together, covering a total distance of 621 miles (1,000 km). The company has also conducted significant subscale flight testing and wind tunnel campaigns and used its computational and modeling power. Currently, CityAirbus NextGen is in the detailed design phase. The prototype's maiden flight is expected to take place in 2023.
"The CityAirbus NextGen combines the best from both worlds with the new architecture striking the right balance between hover and forward flight. The prototype is paving the way for certification expected around 2025," said Bruno Even, Airbus Helicopters CEO.
Florina taught herself how to drive in a Daewoo Tico (a rebadged Suzuki Alto kei car) but her first "real car" was a VW Golf. When she’s not writing about cars, drones or aircraft, Florina likes to read anything related to space exploration and take pictures in the middle of nature. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News