Europe’s eVTOLs take off

The first international electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) flights will be available to the public this northern summer season between three European countries.

Maastricht Aachen Airport in the Netherlands announced that it would be one of three airports to offer electric, zero-emission flights. The flights will operate between Maastricht, Würselen-Aachen Airport in Limburg, Germany, and Liège Airport in Belgium.

The flights will be in service from July 1 to August 31 and will use a Pipistrel – an electric two-seater plane. The Pipistrel can carry only one passenger per trip, alongside the pilot.

The flights are now available for booking on the Electrifly website, including emission-free transport to and from the airports within a 15km radius. Ticket prices range between €120 (R2 310) and €160 (R3 080) and flights take about half an hour.

The adoption of eVTOLs has not been welcomed by all European countries. In November 2023, plans to integrate air taxi services in Paris for the 2024 Olympics were unanimously opposed by Paris city councillors.

Councillors described the venture as “a totally useless, hyper-polluting gimmick for a few ultra-privileged people in a hurry”.

While eVTOLs did not release carbon emissions, they used a significant amount of electricity, Paris authorities explained. “The consumption of these flying machines, nearly 190 kWh per 100 km, is two to three times higher than that of a combustion-powered car to transport a single passenger,” said Claire de Clermont-Tonerre, Paris councillor.

However, despite conflicting information on the sustainability of the technology, a study from Washington State Department of Transportation found that 71% of respondents to a survey of 1 622 people said they were willing to pay more for eVTOL flights, provided the time saved was significant.