Alex Arger
The history of our pursuit of a flying car
What if you never had to worry about sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic? Flying cars present that opportunity — but they’re not a reality yet.
LEARN MOREPosted: 9:47 p.m. EDT Sep 19, 2023
Flying cars aren't just an imaginary idea from "Back to the Future" anymore. They'll soon be part of the real future in one part of the U.S., thanks to a planned manufacturing facility in Ohio.
The facility hails from Joby Aviation Inc., which intends to use a 140-acre site at the Dayton International Airport to build, test and fly up to 500 electric air taxis per year.
And not only is the site a technological advancement, the company's minimum $477.5 million investment will also add 2,000 jobs in the state and could lead to an overall $13 billion in growth there, according to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, who announced news of the project plans Monday alongside Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, Ohio Department of Development director Lydia Mihalik and JobsOhio president and CEO J.P. Nauseef.
"Ohio's legacy in aviation leadership begins with the Wright Brothers and continues now with Joby Aviation, as they launch a new era in advanced aviation manufacturing and aerial mobility in Dayton," DeWine said. "The aircraft that will roll off Joby Ohio's production lines will redefine urban transportation and contribute to a transformational change in the way people and goods travel."
The all-electrical vertical take-off and landing, or eVTOL, air taxis will be designed to seat a pilot and four passengers, the governor said in a press release, with speeds up to 200 miles per hour over a 100-mile range.
The aircrafts will predominantly be used for commercial passenger operations, including as a form of an aerial rideshare option around the world.
Construction is expected to begin on the Ohio facility next year, though the corporation will be using existing nearby buildings to begin operations before then. The flying taxi products from the facility are expected to come online in 2025.
This isn't the first time Joby has worked with American cities to produce eVTOL aircrafts. It partnered with Delta last October to provide customers traveling through New York and Los Angeles with a "seamless, zero-operating-emission" option for traveling short-range journeys to and from city airports when booking Delta travel. It's also worked with Toyota and Uber.
