This New Two-Person eVTOL Flies at 100 MPH—and Fits in Your Driveway

Bryan Hood
·2 min read
65

Skyfly wants to make personal air travel as easy as driving a car.

The London-based startup recently unveiled its first customer eVTOL, the Axe. The company is so confident in the two-seat aircraft that it is already taking pre-orders, with deliveries scheduled to begin in 2024.

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The eVTOL, which is technically called the Axe by Skyfly, has one of the more streamlined designs we’ve seen. It has two fixed wings, which reduces weight and complexity. The wings measure 16.4 feet across and have a five-foot-diameter propeller at each end. The minimalist cabin has two seats, positioned side by side, as opposed to back to back. It’s not as futuristic as some of the eVTOL concepts we’ve seen, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Its relatively small footprint also means you can park the craft in your driveway. While it can take off and land vertically, a short 164-foot runway might come in handy.

Powering the Axe is a 48 kWh dual-battery setup, which provides juice for the 70kw electric motor in each propeller, according to Skyfly. The combined might of the propellers can push the Axe to a cruising speed of 100 mph. The craft has a range of 100 miles, which is plenty for short commutes, but you can double that figure with an optional hybrid generator. That means you should be able to pilot the craft for up to an hour or two between charges. With the battery pack included, the aircraft has a total weight of 1,323 pounds and can carry a payload of up to 379 pounds.

Skyfly is currently taking reservations for the Axe on its website, and eight units have already been spoken for. The company’s first clients will begin to get their eVTOLs in the summer of 2024. If you’d like to get one of your own, it will cost £150,000 (about $173,000). Several add-ons are available, too, like the range extender generator ($58,000), an additional battery pack ($29,000) and a ballistic parachute ($23,000).

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