Honda’s Air Taxi, Rocket & Robot Future

In 10 to 20 years, Honda wants its business to offer more than automobiles, motorcycles and power equipment. A part of its “2030 Vision,” the company from Tokyo is looking to the sky and to robots and sees these advancements being offered by the 2030s and 40s. The first is air taxis. This would build on HondaJet, which was founded in 2006 and features business jets. Bloomberg reports that Honda hopes to commence flight tests on its air taxis in 2023. It will use a lithium battery and a gas-turbine generator which would assist in increasing its range. If all goes according to plan, Honda sees this certified by 2030. And if Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) reaches a fully autonomous stage by 2040, Honda estimates an annual market of $269 billion.