Electric Air Taxis for 2026 World Cup & 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles? – CleanTechnica

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With the 2024 Olympics over, those of us into this kind of thing are now eager for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Aside from all the sporting fun and the way the Olympics can bring countries together, one good thing about the Olympics is how it can help usher in change. Naturally, LA being LA, the city and the Olympics organizers there will want to be as cool and futuristic as possible. And that has to involve electric air taxis, right?

Derek Markham wrote yesterday about how the 2028 Olympics in LA are aiming to be a “no-car Games.” That’s quite a goal in one of the most car-dependent cities in the world. However, I thought it was good to see the ambitious goal of relying on public transit more than millions of cars. Throwing in electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft might not be the most efficient or cheapest addition, but it does add a fun futuristic element, supports what would be an important burgeoning industry, and will surely be the optimal option in some scenarios.

Archer is working on a network of vertiports (landing places) for its Midnight eVTOL aircraft, which is capable of carrying up to 5 people. Naturally, they hope to have it operational in time for the 2028 Olympics, or even in time for the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted partially in Los Angeles (and other cities around North America).

Archer has been making some progress lately. Its Midnight aircraft completed a “transition flight” two months ago. Then it announced an air mobility network for San Francisco connecting 5 locations in the Bay Area. Shortly after that, the company announced a $55 million investment from Stellantis. It has also announced sales agreements with Southwest Airlines and United Airlines. Notably, two years ago, when the company announced it would be unveiling the Midnight, it also said it targeted 250 air taxis by 2025. Is it going to be able to achieve that? No, it doesn’t look like it, but hopefully we’ve got a good number in operation by the 2026 World Cup and a lot more for the 2028 Olympics.

“The Olympics may not actually be causative, but the needs of moving a lot of people and alleviating traffic during mass sporting events could spur the seismic jump necessary for creating an electric air taxi revolution,” Robb Report writes. “The Midnight is designed for back-to-back, 20- to 50-mile jaunts at up to 150 mph. Eventually, Archer aims to convert what are now one- to two-hour commutes to 10- to 20-minute flights via an extensive vertiport network. The company has also announced alliances with the Los Angeles Rams and USC to add vertiports at SoFi Stadium and the Southern Cal campus.”

“This is a big moment for Archer,” says CEO Adam Goldstein. “LA is known for its horrendous traffic—our goal is to offer a safer, faster and sustainable alternative travel option.”

Governor Gavin Newsom, former contributor to CleanTechnica when he was Mayor of San Francisco, is excited about the eVTOL leadership happening in his state. “California is showing the world what’s possible when you embrace innovation, entrepreneurship and clean energy to help solve your biggest challenges.”

Related: Interview With Archer Aviation