The alliance seeks to take advantage of the world’s most populated nation’s increasing need for transportation solutions.

The leading Indian airline, IndiGo, is supported by InterGlobe Enterprises, which also owns American company Archer Aviation. The firms said on Thursday that they will introduce an all-electric air taxi service in India in 2026 that will be “cost-competitive” with on-road services.

According to the companies, an air taxi ride in Delhi, for instance, will take roughly 7 minutes instead of the usual 60 to 90 minutes by automobile.(AP/Rep picture)

Should they receive regulatory approvals, the collaboration seeks to capitalize on the rising demand for transportation solutions in the most populated nation in the world, which is struggling with extreme pollution in its major cities and traffic congestion on the ground.

With support from companies like Boeing, United Airlines, and Stellantis, the parent company of Chrysler, Archer Aviation manufactures electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, which are hailed as the wave of the future for urban air mobility.

These ‘Midnight’ e-aircraft have a maximum range of 100 miles (161 kilometers) and can accommodate four people plus a pilot. The service is planned to launch with 200 planes and will be based in Bengaluru, also referred to as India’s Silicon Valley, Delhi, the nation’s capital, and Mumbai, the financial hub of the nation.

According to the companies, an air taxi ride in Delhi, for instance, will take roughly 7 minutes instead of the usual 60 to 90 minutes by automobile.

In addition, InterGlobe Enterprises, the company that controls approximately 38% of InterGlobe Aviation, the parent company of IndiGo, as well as hospitality and logistics companies, intends to employ the e-aircraft for freight, logistics, emergency medical care, and charter services.

After agreeing to pay the U.S. Air Force $142 million in July to supply six Midnight aircraft, Archer announced in October that it will begin operating an air taxi service in the United Arab Emirates.

In premarket trade on Thursday, Archer Aviation’s shares saw a 1.5% increase, while InterGlobe Aviation’s shares finished up 0.12% in anticipation of the news.

Source- Hindustan times