Many have dreamed of a future with flying cars — eliminating traffic on the morning commute. Silicon Valley companies are trying to make that dream real with a new class of aircraft known as eVTOLs (electric vertical takeoff and landing). Itay Hod reports on one company testing a small personal model and on broader efforts to ready multipassenger electric air taxis for urban use.
Palo Alto startup Pivotal is building a one-seat electric aircraft called the Helix. Designed to take off and land vertically in a space about the size of a backyard, the Helix is aimed at recreational pilots for now; its battery provides about 15–20 minutes of flight. Pivotal CEO Ken Karklin described the Helix as “the world’s only sold-and-delivered electric vertical takeoff and landing personal aircraft.” A one-seat model like Michelle Villanueva’s costs roughly $200,000. Getting a pilot license for it can be done in about five days; typical flights remain low, generally below 200 feet.
The technology extends beyond single-seat aircraft. Multipassenger eVTOLs are being developed for shuttle and urban mobility roles. Archer Aviation, for example, has secured a deal to shuttle athletes at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Aviation experts note the promise of reduced ground congestion but caution about integrating many new aircraft into the national airspace. Michael McCormick, an associate professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, says adding new vehicles will disrupt established airspace systems and will require careful planning.
For early adopters like Villanueva, the experience already feels futuristic. “It does feel a little bit like The Jetsons,” she says; “It’s amazing up here,” she adds as eVTOLs hover and test the edges of what may become routine urban travel.