Akihabara News (Tokyo) — Marubeni Corporation has put in a conditional pre-order for up to 200 eVTOL (flying cars) under development by UK-based Vertical Aerospace with an eye to have them put into service in Japan in 2025.
The pre-order is for the VX4, Vertical’s flagship aircraft, which the manufacturer claims will be certified to the same standards as commercial airliners, and will be significantly safer and quieter than a helicopter.
Toru Okazaki, senior operating officer of Marubeni’s Aerospace & Ship Division, stated, “Through this strong partnership with Vertical, we are confident that we will successfully develop the advanced aerial mobility market in Japan. By seeking to popularize eVTOL technology, we will not only be enriching people’s lives but making meaningful inroads into the reduction of greenhouse gases and our path to net-zero.”
Stephen Fitzpatrick, founder and CEO of Vertical, added, “Marubeni is one of the most respected companies in Japan, and we are proud to be partnering with them as we look at ways to bring our VX4 to the Japanese market.”
Marubeni has stated its belief that eVTOLs have a number of use cases in Japan, such as inter-city, intra-city, airport shuttle, and life support operations. Marubeni is expecting eVTOL operations in Japan to commence in 2025, and appears to be seeking partners within the country to help make that happen.
The four passenger, one pilot VX4 is projected to have speeds up to 320 kilometers per hour, a range over 160 kilometers, be near silent when in flight, and possess zero operating emissions.
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