Uber seeks help to get flying EV taxis off the ground

Uber is asking someone else to help get its flying electric-car project, Uber Elevate, off the ground.

While it may still come to pass that we’ll all be catching flying Ubers around big cities, the giant ride-sharing company has decided to hand over responsibility for the project to another air-taxi startup, Joby Aviation in California, which also received an investment from Toyota earlier this year.

The move, which will see Uber investing more than US$75 million ($100 million) in Joby’s efforts to build fully electric flying taxis, is being seen as Uber stepping away from what has become a hugely expensive and so far unsuccessful effort, but the agreement means that Joby and Uber will become partners when, or if, the flying car ever takes off.

“I know there are questions about whether Uber has any ‘big, bold’ bets left,” Uber chief executive, Dara Khosrowshahi, said in an email to employees. 

“I understand that question, but I think it misses the big, bold bets right in front of us: to become the undisputed global leaders in both Mobility and Delivery.”

The flying-taxi business is proving expensive to launch, but that hasn’t stopped people throwing money at it. According to Pitchbook, nearly $US1 billion was poured into air-mobility companies in 2020 alone.

Joby is hoping its service will take to the skies nay 2023 in the US, using vertical take off and landing aircraft that are described as being a cross between a plane and a helicopter, and look not unlike giant drones.

Uber has said previously it wants to have flying taxis in Los Angeles in time for the 2028 Olympics.