Airbus Ushers in a New Era of Urban Air Mobility with CityAirbus NextGen

Airbus has officially unveiled the CityAirbus NextGen, a fully electric prototype designed to revolutionize urban air mobility (UAM). Set to embark on its inaugural flight later this year, the CityAirbus NextGen stands out with its impressive two-tonne class and a wingspan of roughly 12 meters. Engineered for a range of 80 kilometers and a cruising speed of 120 km/h, this state-of-the-art aircraft is poised to become a game-changer for metropolitan transportation, catering to a broad spectrum of urban missions.

The reveal took place during the grand opening of the new CityAirbus test center in Donauwörth, marking a significant milestone in Airbus' Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) investment journey. This dedicated facility will play a crucial role in conducting comprehensive tests on electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles (eVTOLs), including the CityAirbus NextGen. Since its power-on in December 2023, the center has been instrumental in examining the aircraft's electric motors, which boast eight rotors, alongside other critical systems like flight controls and avionics, paving the way for the prototype's anticipated first flight.

Balkiz Sarihan, Head of Urban Air Mobility at Airbus, expressed excitement about this significant progress, stating, "Rolling out CityAirbus NextGen for the very first time is an important and very real step that we are taking towards advanced air mobility and our future product and market. Thank you to our community, team, and partners all over the world for helping us make this a reality."

In parallel with the technological advancements, Airbus is actively expanding its global network and forging strategic partnerships to cultivate a thriving AAM market ecosystem. A notable example of these efforts is the recent partnership agreement with LCI, a prominent aviation company. This collaboration aims to develop innovative partnership scenarios and business models focusing on three core AAM domains: strategy, commercialization, and financing.