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eVTOLs: how China’s ambitious plans could reshape urban transport by 2030

Imagine boarding a small plane that takes off vertically and flies above the city in order to avoid sitting in traffic while you hustle to make a crucial meeting. This might be a common sight in China by 2030. The nation is preparing to launch up to 100,000 electric flying vehicles, or eVTOLs, which have the potential to revolutionize the way people and products travel across urban areas.

What is the big deal about eVTOLs?

If you’ve never heard of them, eVTOLs (short for electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft) might sound like something from a sci-fi movie. But they are real, and they are coming. Unlike planes, these vehicles don’t need a runway—they lift off like helicopters but are quieter, smaller, and run on electricity. The idea is simple. Instead of spending hours stuck in traffic, you could jump into one of these air taxis and zip across the city in minutes. Think of it like Uber but for the skies. Cool, right? Moving people around is not the only thing involved. There are numerous applications for these flying machines. Consider urgent medical delivery, such as medicine or organs that must quickly go across a city. That would be easily handled by an eVTOL.

What about travel? Imagine soaring over famous sites like the Great Wall of China or a nighttime cityscape that is illuminated. This experience has the potential to revolutionize sightseeing. Then there is logistics. Companies could deliver packages much faster without worrying about road congestion. In fact, eVTOLs might even take over some jobs that drones currently handle.

What is holding them back?

Of course, there are challenges—big ones. First off, these vehicles are expensive. Right now, a single eVTOL can cost around 10 million yuan (roughly $1.4 million). But if we have learned anything from electric cars, it’s that prices drop when production ramps up. Infrastructure is another issue. These air taxis need places to take off, land, and charge. China is already planning “vertiports” in major cities—small hubs where eVTOLs can operate smoothly. But building these won’t happen overnight. Another important consideration is safety. Hundreds or perhaps thousands of flying vehicles in the sky at once: how do you handle it? Advanced artificial intelligence-powered traffic control technologies hold the key to the solution. Everything would be coordinated by these systems to avoid mishaps.

China’s big plans

China is not just testing the waters with this technology—it is diving in headfirst. More than 100 companies are part of a national alliance working to make eVTOLs a reality. This is not just about building flying machines. It is about creating a whole ecosystem—from manufacturing to infrastructure and regulation. The numbers are staggering. By 2030, the low-altitude aviation industry in China could be worth 2 trillion yuan. That is a massive leap from where it is today. It is clear the country sees this as a long-term investment.

eVTOLs will probably be tested in Chinese cities over the next years. Through these tests, any bugs will be worked out and the technology will be prepared for the major leagues. If everything goes according to plan, watching a fleet of flying taxis in the skies may become a common sight in urban areas by 2030. It is an intriguing idea. It is a reminder of how rapidly technology is developing that something as futuristic as flying taxis might become commonplace. Who knows? Perhaps in ten years, everyone will be scheduling air taxis in the same manner that we currently refer to ride-sharing.

George Mavridis is a journalist currently conducting his doctoral research at the Department of Journalism and Mass Media at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH). He holds a degree from the same department, as well as a Master’s degree in Media and Communication Studies from Malmö University, Sweden, and a second Master’s degree in Digital Humanities from Linnaeus University, Sweden. In 2024, he completed his third Master’s degree in Information and Communication Technologies: Law and Policy at AUTH. Since 2010, he has been professionally involved in journalism and communication, and in recent years, he has also turned to book writing.