Uber Bringing Flying Cars To Cities By 2026
Business Insider — Uber has launched a new project to bring flying cars to commuters by 2026.
The company published a white paper today outlining its plans for Uber Elevate, a network of on-demand electric aircraft. Known as VTOL aircraft — short for Vertical Take-Off and Landing — the aircraft would be used to shorten commute times in busy cities, turning a two-hour drive into a 15-minute trip.
According to a piece out from Wired on the new plans, Uber doesn’t plan to build the aircraft themselves. The ride-hailing company will bring together private companies and the government to deal with the larger issues of making this project a reality, Wired reports.
The vehicles would be able to travel at about 150 mph for up to 100 miles and carry multiple people, including a pilot, according to Wired. While the first vehicles will be ready by 2021, the expected roll-out date is 2026.
Again with the flying cars. It’s always about the flying cars. Once every decade somebody brings up flying cars saying it’s the next big thing. Since like the 50s, books to movies to governments to tech companies have been declaring that we’ll have flying cars. Flying cars in The Fifth Element. Flying cars in Star Wars. Now flying cars in 2026 via Uber.
Wrong. There’s no fucking chance. You can’t just keep promising flying cars and have me believe this is finally the time. Like some cheating ex-gf with the old “babe it’s different this time, I love you.” Get the fuck outta here. We’re not even close to flying cars and we won’t be for at least 50+ years.
Here’s the military version. You think we’re gonna be Ubering around in these things?
The military already uses VTOL technology for its own aircraft. The planes rise in the air like helicopters but are still capable of flying at high speeds. Here’s what it looks like when one of aircraft takes off, courtesy of Lockheed Martin:
I love the idea and would buy/rent/lease/mooch the shit out of a flying car, but this shit’s been coming up for decades and never gotten anywhere. Just Uber snatching some headlines. I clicked, you clicked, we all clicked… but we sure won’t be clicking on flying cars. Boom roasted. Nice try Uber.