Electric 'flying taxis' to be built at Cotswold Airport

The company said it is still considering "locations in the UK and beyond" for full production

A company developing an all-electric air taxi says it is hoping to have it certified for commercial use by 2028 - with the initial builds happening in Gloucestershire.

Bristol-based Vertical Aerospace (VA) is planning to set up a factory at the Cotswold Airport producing 25 flying taxis, known as the VX4, per year.

It will also build a new battery facility next to its research and development centre in Avonmouth, to triple production of the battery packs needed for the VX4.

The company said it is still considering "locations in the UK and beyond" for full production, which it plans to ramp up to 900 aircraft a year in 2035, but a final decision is expected next year.

Mr Simpson said since launching its plans last year the company has moved from "ambition to execution"

So-called flying taxis or eVTOLs, which stands for electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, have been a longstanding dream.

Designed to take off like a helicopter, eVTOLs not only promise to be quieter, cheaper and emissions-free but are designed to land right in the heart of a city.

VA's striking VX4 design uses eight large propellers mounted on slim, aircraft style wings to generate lift.

With a range of up to 100 miles (161km), and carrying up to six passengers, the company said its "agile" urban transport will reduce travel-times to minutes.

'Electric flight era'

So far, the craft has successfully carried out piloted hover flight tests and the company said it is "on track" to complete the final stage of its "piloted flight programme" by the end of the year.

Now, along with certification by the UK Civil Aviation Authority, the company is hoping by 2035 to be churning out 900 flying taxis a year and 45,000 battery units.

Stuart Simpson, chief executive of Vertical Aerospace, said since launching its plans last year the company has moved from "ambition to execution".

"This things works. We know we can certify this," he told a webinar in New York on Wednesday.

"Our craft has taken off like a helicopter and landed like a helicopter it's taken off like an aircraft, flown like an aircraft and landed like an aircraft.

"With the final technical proof point - anticipated by year-end, we now have a clear, efficient path to certification and commercialization at scale, positioning Vertical to lead the next era of electric flight."