eVTOL a flying Car

For decades, movies have promised us that we would eventually ditch our four-door sedans for flying cars. While we aren't all soaring over traffic jams in our own personal jets just yet, a new type of aircraft called an eVTOL (pronounced ee-vee-tol) is making that dream a reality.

eVTOL stands for Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing. Basically, it’s a vehicle that acts like a helicopter to get off the ground but flies like an airplane once it's in the air. Here is a look at the top manufacturers and the "flying cars" they are building right now.

What Makes an eVTOL Different?

If you look at a traditional helicopter, it has one or two giant rotors. They are loud, expensive to run, and use a lot of fuel. eVTOLs are different because:

• They are Electric: They run on massive battery packs, just like a Tesla. This means they produce zero emissions while flying.

• They are Quiet: Because they use many small electric motors instead of one giant engine, they sound more like a swarm of bees or a rushing wind than a thumping helicopter.

• They are Vertical: They don't need a runway. They can take off from the top of a parking garage or a small "vertiport" in the middle of a city.

The Leaders of the Sky: Top Manufacturers and Models

Several companies are racing to be the "Uber of the Sky." Here are the three biggest names you should know.

1. Joby Aviation – The "S4"

Based in California, Joby Aviation is one of the world leaders in this space. Their main aircraft is known as the Joby S4.

• How it looks: It has six large tilting propellers mounted on its wings and tail.

• Stats: It can carry one pilot and four passengers. It travels at speeds up to 200 mph and can fly about 150 miles on a single charge.

• Cool Feature: When it’s flying high above, it’s designed to be so quiet that people on the ground won’t even notice it’s there.

2. Archer Aviation – The "Midnight"

Another major player is Archer Aviation, and their star aircraft is called the Midnight.

• How it looks: The Midnight has 12 propellers along its wing. Six of them tilt forward to help it zoom through the sky, while the other six stay flat to help it hover.

• Stats: Like the Joby, it carries four passengers and a pilot. It’s designed for short "back-to-back" trips of about 20 miles, with only 10 minutes of charging time in between.

• The Goal: Archer is working with United Airlines to create "air taxi" routes, like taking people from downtown Manhattan to Newark Airport in just a few minutes instead of an hour in traffic.

3. EHang – The "EH216-S"

While the others focus on having a human pilot, the Chinese company EHang is doing something even more futuristic. Their EH216-S is a "pilotless" air taxi.

• How it looks: It looks like a giant version of the toy drones you might fly at the park. It has 16 propellers attached to arms around a small cabin.

• Stats: It carries two passengers and flies entirely on its own using a computer. It is much smaller and slower (about 80 mph) than the Joby or Archer, making it perfect for short trips across a single city.

How Safe Are They?

Safety is the number one question people ask. Because these aircraft have so many different motors (a feature called distributed electric propulsion), they are actually very safe. If one or even two motors fail, the others can work together to land the craft safely. Most eVTOLs also have "triple-redundant" computers, meaning there are three computers checking each other's math every second to make sure the flight is perfect.

When Can You Ride One?

We are closer than you think! In places like the United Arab Emirates and parts of the United States, test flights are happening all the time. Companies are currently building "Vertiports"—special landing pads on top of buildings—to get ready for the first official passenger flights.

In the next few years, instead of calling a car on your phone, you might be calling an Archer or a Joby to pick you up and fly you over the morning traffic. The "flying car" isn't just a movie prop anymore—it’s charging its batteries right now!