At the present time, richie rich flex their wealth by flying private if they need to travel long distances, such as between cities or across states. For the even richer, they have helicopters to fill in the gaps. Not far from now, these super-rich could zip around in large eVTOL aircraft like the Archer Midnight if they need to go 20–50 miles.
You may ask, why not just helicopters? Well, are conventional helicopters sustainable? Low noise? Carry a bunch of luggage? Sit four comfortably and enable conversation among themselves without screaming their heads off? Probably not. But the Midnight allows all those.
First announced in 2021, the multi-rotor electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle is on track for commercial launch this year—well, if the FAA is agreeable, that is. In fact, Archer will serve as the official air taxi provider of the Olympic Games and Team USA at LA 2028.
The aircraft is as futuristic as any eVTOL can get without looking like an alien aircraft. However, it does look like an air vehicle out of sci-fi flicks like Avatar. It has a distinctive “chin,” which integrates seamlessly into the nose with the landing gear, along with a bold vertical light that makes the aircraft immediately recognizable.
The long fuselage has room for up to four passengers, their carry-on luggage, and a pilot. It is powered by six independent proprietary battery packs, each supporting a pair of Archer custom electric engines. The battery packs feature proven safe and reliable lithium-ion cells, and the battery system can be charged in minutes (around 10–12 minutes) between flights.
The Archer Midnight is designed to cruise at 240 km/h (150 mph) and has a range of 160 km (100 miles). It is said to be 100 times quieter than helicopters, which means it is practically inaudible from the streets below when in flight.
The only downside? It needs proper airports dedicated to eVTOL aircraft, called vertiports. These vertiports would also serve as charging stations.
But before you rich folks go ga-ga over this awesome aircraft, you may want to know that it is not quite meant for individual buyers. It is aimed at fleet operators such as air taxi services, corporate fleets, and government programs.
The price sits in light private jet territory, though it is considerably cheaper than large private jets, even if it does not have the range of private jets. The latest catalog price is US$5 million.
Images: Archer Aviation Inc.
