Valo eVTOL aims to compete with Uber airport transfers

All news

Top Stories

Editors' Picks

Crypto News

Financial News

Currencies

Market Voices

Companies

Regulators News

Central Banks News

Yaroslav Dmytrenko

24.01.2026

Valo eVTOL aims to compete with Uber airport transfers — Vertical Aerospace unveils Valo eVTOL air taxi in New York

Vertical Aerospace, listed on the NYSE under the ticker EVTL, unveiled its spacious Valo air taxi in New York, promising potential competition with Uber for passenger trips from Manhattan to JFK Airport.

The Valo eVTOL, with a wingspan of nearly 15 meters, can carry up to six passengers, along with a pilot and luggage, making it significantly more spacious than competing air taxis, including Joby Aviation.

While the prototype showcased in New York featured a luxurious cabin, Vertical Aerospace Chairman Domhnall Slattery reassured attendees that this mode of transport is not only for the wealthy.

“This is not just for the rich or ultra-rich, where helicopters have always been. We want to democratize urban air mobility,” Slattery said.

Valo is designed for short trips of up to 100 miles but ideally can make multiple shorter trips before recharging. Its relatively quiet electric rotors—eight in total—allow vertical takeoff, with four front rotors tilting 90 degrees for horizontal flight.

Most importantly, according to Slattery, the company aims to price Valo trips “roughly at the level of an Uber Black per seat,” with a six-passenger cabin, “making it accessible to the mass market.” Currently, an Uber Black ride from downtown to JFK costs about $150, with surge pricing potentially higher.

Competitive market emerging

Valo is expected to undergo certification by European aviation authorities, which Slattery claims is more stringent than the FAA’s process.

“Tonight we’re presenting the certified aircraft; this is what you physically see here,” he said, adding that certification is expected to be completed next year. Key aspects include demonstrating airworthiness and safety, as well as ensuring passenger comfort and confidence.

“We want to truly show these are safe; I need to convince people it becomes as safe as a Boeing 737, because commercial aviation is the safest form of transport in the world,” Slattery said.

In collaboration with carriers such as American Airlines and Japan Airlines, Vertical Aerospace plans to obtain certification by 2028, when flights are expected to commence. Vertical positions itself as a manufacturer, not a service operator—similar to Boeing or Airbus—providing aircraft to carriers with operational expertise.

In addition to air taxi services in London, Vertical Aerospace is working with Bristow Group (VTOL) and Skyports Infrastructure, which manages heliports around New York, to plan routes connecting the city to airports including Newark, Teterboro, JFK, and East Hampton.

Currently, operators like Blade, owned by Joby Aviation (JOBY), use traditional helicopters for airport transfers, but eventually Joby plans to deploy its own eVTOL aircraft. This points to a competitive urban airspace in New York in the coming years, with Valo offering size, speed, and range suitable for passengers.

EVTL stock daily chart. Source: CoinMarketCap

EVTL shares currently trade on the NYSE at $5.60, down 2.6% over 24 hours but holding steady compared with a month ago.

As we wrote, Joby Aviation stock drop 8% despite strong commercial progress

This material may contain third-party opinions, none of the data and information on this webpage constitutes investment advice according to our Disclaimer. While we adhere to strict Editorial Integrity, this post may contain references to products from our partners.