Flying cars may soon inch their way out of science fiction, just in time for the LA Olympics.
Archer Aviation, an electric vehicle startup based in San Jose, announced Thursday, alongside the LA28 planning committee, its plan to roll out an air taxi service for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
The company said it will allocate 50 of its premier aircraft, Midnight — a four-passenger electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle, or eVTOL — to ferry people at speeds up to 150 mph around nine “vertiport” hubs between the counties of Los Angeles and Orange.
Hubs will be at airports and helipads located in Woodland Hills, Van Nuys, Hollywood-Burbank, Santa Monica, Long Beach, Pasadena, Inglewood and Orange County — each of which are near key venues for the Summer Games.
The crafts will also be available to provide “support for emergency services and security,” according to a news release.
“We want to transform the way people get around Los Angeles and leave a legacy that shapes the future of transportation in America,” said Adam Goldstein, CEO and founder of Archer Aviation. “There’s no better time to do that than during the LA28 Games.”
Backed by major airlines and defense contractors, the startup aims to take advantage of LA’s ambitious “Car-Free” goal for the Summer Games.
Along specific routes, the company said its air taxis can slash a 90-minute drive down to a 10-minute flight. Officials said this will cater to some of the 15 million expected visitors to the region during the Summer Games who hope to escape the slog of LA traffic.
“Our vision is to fundamentally reimagine the Olympic and Paralympic Games experience,” said LA28 Chairperson and President Casey Wasserman. “And this partnership represents an incredible opportunity to deliver something unprecedented, showcasing the very best of what Los Angeles has to offer on the world stage.”
Vehicles look like small airplanes or helicopters and can take off and land vertically, allowing them to operate from the middle of cities, whisking people around without excessive noise caused by fuel-powered helicopters and other small aircraft.
Without providing an exact price range, Goldstein has said in past interviews he would expect fares to range around $50, similar to a premium Uber ride — an effort, he said, to make it affordable to more than well-heeled businesspeople.
Rides would be requested through a phone app, Goldstein said.
The Federal Aviation Administration signaled in 2023 that it hopes to introduce air taxis into the transportation market as a routine and predictable option by 2028, something experts say reflects the confidence that the technology is only a few years away.
But there are more regulatory hurdles to be cleared before air taxis will be allowed to carry passengers in the U.S.
Archer originally planned to debut at the 2024 Paris Games, but was not certified in time by Europe’s air safety agency. The company’s flagship Midnight aircraft is yet to receive a “Type Certification,” which means it meets FAA standards for design and safety. Once Archer receives the certification, as well as any other approvals from federal agencies and state and local governments, it can integrate its aircraft into service.