A major technological development is on the way as India will get its first electric flying taxi, “Shunya,” which is expected to be launched in the year 2028. The exceptional project was initiated by a Bengaluru-based startup called Sarla Aviation.
During the initial years, the taxi will connect airports and will majorly run in the commercial hubs of the country, including Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Pune.
Details of new flying taxi -
The preliminary version of Shunya is designed for short journeys - which cover only 20 to 30 kilometers. The anticipated speed of the taxi is around 250 km/h. In addition to this, as many as six people (6) can sit in the taxi at a time, and the maximum load it can carry is around 680 kg, which is the highest payload in its category.
Shunya will be an eVTOL vehicle, which means it will take off and land vertically.
While explaining the pricing for air taxi services, Sarla Aviation has mentioned that it expects to present the services at competitive prices, which will match the high-end services in the country.
According to the reports, the taxi will be initially launched in Bengaluru by 2028. Along with this, the company aims to expand the service to other key cities like Pune, Mumbai, and Delhi - increasing the connectivity between the cities.
Besides this, the company also plans to reduce the cost of a ride equivalent to a ride to an auto-rickshaw.
Other possible competitions in the Indian Flying Taxi market -
InterGlobe Enterprises: It is the parent company of India's leading airline, IndiGo. InterGlobe, along with Archer Aviation, is planning to launch an electric flying air taxi in India. The anticipated year is 2026.
ePlane Company: An electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) taxi is under development by this startup, which was established in 2019. The name of the vehicle is e200x.