SkyDrive will establish a wholly owned subsidiary that will utilize a production facility owned by the Suzuki Group in Japan’s Shizuoka Prefecture.
Japanese automobile company Suzuki Motor Corporation has signed a basic agreement with electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft manufacturer SkyDrive Inc. to make “flying cars.” The two companies plan to start building the “SKYDRIVE” eVTOL aircraft by the spring of 2024, SkyDrive, a Toyota City-headquartered company, said in a blog.
For this purpose of making its eVTOL aircraft, SkyDrive will establish a wholly owned subsidiary that will utilize a production facility owned by the Suzuki Group in Japan’s Shizuoka Prefecture. The automobile major Suzuki will help the manufacturing subsidiary to secure human resources, among other preparations.
The “SKYDRIVE” eVTOL aircraft will be a three-seater, electric-powered lightweight aircraft with vertical takeoff and landing capabilities. Other details about its capabilities and timeline are still under wraps. SkyDrive added that more specific terms and conditions will be agreed upon through ongoing discussions.
“At Suzuki, all manufacturing activities are based on a concept, ‘Smaller, Fewer, Lighter, Shorter, and Neater’ and SkyDrive is developing lightweight air mobilities. Suzuki and SkyDrive have been collaborating since March 2022 and we are very excited that SkyDrive will utilize the production facility of Suzuki to build our eVTOL ‘SKYDRIVE’,” SkyDrive chief executive officer Tomohiro Fukuzawa said.
SkyDrive specializes in developing and manufacturing personal flying vehicles to provide a safe, convenient, and eco-friendly mode of transportation in urban areas. SkyDrive’s eVTOL vehicles, also known as “flying cars,” are designed to be compact, electrically powered aircraft that can take off and land vertically. These vehicles aim to alleviate traffic congestion and provide efficient transportation options for short to medium distances. In 2019, SkyDrive successfully completed the first crewed flight test in Japan. The company’s eVTOL “SKYDRIVE” is in the process of receiving its Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) certification.
Meanwhile, the Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing, or eVTOL, aircraft are viewed as a promising transportation option for the future due to their potential to transform urban transportation by reducing commute times and alleviating traffic congestion. In addition, compared to conventional combustion engines, electric propulsion systems used in eVTOL aircraft create zero direct emissions. This not only reduces air and noise pollution but also helps create a cleaner, more environmentally friendly transportation system due to the transition from fossil fuels to electric power.
