The global push to achieve emissions-free air travel has spawned a crowded field of eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) players. But one UK-based start-up is leading the pack when it comes to exploring opportunities for sustainable flying taxis - often referred to as Advanced Aerial Mobility (AAM) - especially in the lucrative Japanese market. Vertical Aerospace recently secured an order for 200 aircraft from Marubeni Corporation, one of Japan's foremost trading and investment conglomerates, and now claims to have the largest number of declared pre-orders for eVTOLS, not just in the east Asian economic powerhouse but anywhere in the world. The Marubeni partnership builds on existing deals between Vertical and Virgin Atlantic, American Airlines, Iberojet, Bristow Helicopters and jet lessor Avolon, and the company has amassed an impressive number of pre-orders worth US$5.4bn for its VX4 prototype. So how did Vertical end up dominating the Japanese market, and what is the next step for a company that is forging ahead in the eVTOL sector?
展开▼
