Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai will be the initial cities of an all-electric taxi air service that IndiGo's parent company, InterGlobe Enterprises, wants to introduce and run in 2026. With support from major automakers Stellantis, United Airlines, and Boeing, among others, it has partnered with Archer Aviation, a premier California-based electric air taxi firm. The partnership plans to finance the purchase of up to 200 of Archer’s electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft - Midnight - for the India operations. United had earlier ordered 200 of these eVTOLs.
The goal is for a passenger on an InterGlobe-Archer flight to be able to fly the 27-km Delhi trip from Connaught Place to Gurugram, typically taking 60 to 90 minutes by car, in about seven minutes, IGE said in a statement. Midnight is a four-passenger plus pilot vehicle that is anticipated to be in commercial service in the US in 2025. It is built to conduct quick back-to-back flights with little time for charging in between.
With regulatory permits pending, IndiGo and Archer plan to collaborate in the construction of vertiport infrastructure, pilot training, and operational launch.
Archer CCO Nikhil Goel told the media last month that India will be one of the biggest markets for urban air mobility. And that Archer will consider making its eVTOLs here to lower the cost.