Are These the Flying Cars of the Future? Profiling 5 eVTOL Concepts Aiming for UK Skies

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Oktober 20, 2025

For decades, flying cars were relegated to the realm of science fiction cinema. Today, however, the concept of personalized air transport is rapidly moving from the drawing board to the final stages of regulatory approval. Could these aerial vehicles soon become a common sight in the skies above the UK? The answer, according to major global manufacturers, is a resounding yes.

The term 'flying car' is often used generically, but the industry is now focused on a specific class of vehicle: the eVTOL, or Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft. These vehicles offer the promise of bypassing ground traffic congestion entirely, providing swift, point-to-point air travel.

Unlike true flying cars—which can seamlessly transition between driving on a road and flying—most modern concepts are pure aircraft designed for short-to-medium range urban missions. Although none are yet seen widely on roads or in the air around the world, the biggest brands in aerospace and automotive are heavily invested in making this technology a reality. We profile five key concepts, all in different stages of production and certification, that are shaping the future of Urban Air Mobility (UAM).

What Defines a Modern Flying Car (The eVTOL Distinction)?

The core idea of a flying car is convenience: offering the flexibility of road travel alongside the ability to take off and land. Modern innovation, however, has steered development toward pure vertical flight. Here’s why the eVTOL model dominates:

Vertical Capability: eVTOLs eliminate the need for long runways, allowing them to use small landing pads known as vertiports on building rooftops or existing heliports.
Electric Power: The use of battery or hydrogen power drastically reduces operational noise and ensures zero emissions flight, a prerequisite for use in dense urban environments.
Regulatory Focus: Regulators like the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the US and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in the UK find it easier to regulate these machines as aircraft, simplifying the certification process compared to regulating a vehicle that must meet both road safety and airworthiness standards.

Profiled Concepts: The Race to Certification

The current race is not a technological one, but a regulatory and manufacturing one. Achieving certification is the single greatest hurdle, and the following projects are the leaders in the commercialization effort.

1. Toyota/Joby eVTOL: The Regulatory Frontrunner

The partnership between Toyota Motor Corporation and Joby Aviation (Joby), announced in late 2024, is one of the most consequential in the sector. Toyota brings manufacturing expertise and quality control, while Joby brings the flight technology and regulatory experience.

Status: Currently in the final stages of the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification process. Joby has already passed three of the five required stages of certification and is actively working through the fourth.
Performance Target: The finished product is designed as a zero-emission aircraft capable of reaching cruising speeds of up to 200 mph (320 km/h).
Market Strategy: Joby’s primary business model is to operate its aircraft as an air taxi service, rather than selling them directly to consumers, aiming to revolutionize airport connections and high-density commuter routes.

Their progress is being closely watched globally, as Joby's certification success will set a precedent for every other manufacturer seeking approval in key markets, including the UK.

2. Suzuki/SkyDrive: Pioneering Asian Air Mobility

SkyDrive, officially founded in July 2018, has been a key player in pioneering the mobility revolution in Asia, with a mission to make eVTOLs a common mode of daily transportation globally. They achieved an early milestone in 2019 with Japan's first crewed eVTOL flight test.

Status: The company entered a critical phase in March 2024 by starting production of its SKYDRIVE model at a facility owned by its production partner, Suzuki Motor Company.
Partnership Synergy: Suzuki’s involvement, similar to Toyota's partnership with Joby, provides the industrial scale and robust quality control necessary for mass production.
Vision: SkyDrive’s core focus is on intra-city and regional connectivity in congested mega-cities across Japan and Southeast Asia, but their global vision includes expansion into Europe and the US once manufacturing scales.

3. Porsche/Boeing: Defining Premium Air Mobility

This collaboration, initiated by a Memorandum of Understanding in 2019, targets the high-end, premium urban air mobility (UAM) market. The combination of Porsche’s luxury design and automotive engineering with Boeing’s aerospace heritage is uniquely positioned for this niche.

Collaboration Structure: Boeing, Porsche, and Aurora Flight Sciences (a Boeing subsidiary specializing in autonomous systems) are pooling their expertise.
Concept: They are developing a concept for a fully electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle that emphasizes high-end design, superior passenger comfort, and advanced safety features, catering specifically to the luxury segment.
Market Focus: Unlike Joby’s mass-market taxi model, the Porsche/Boeing concept is expected to target private ownership or exclusive charter services, defining the future of executive air travel.

4. Honda eVTOL: The 2030 Vision

The Japanese manufacturer is leveraging its extensive experience across automotive and aerospace (HondaJet) to create its own eVTOL aircraft. Unveiled in 2024 as part of its ambitious 2030 Vision, Honda views air mobility as an essential pillar of its future business.

Status: The program is currently in the advanced development and concept phase.
Technical Secrecy: Specific details regarding the aircraft’s cruise speed, range, and passenger capacity have not yet been disclosed, indicating that the technology is proprietary and still under wraps.
Integration: Honda’s strategy is likely to integrate its eVTOLs with its existing ground-based electric vehicles and energy infrastructure, aiming for a unified, seamless mobility ecosystem.

5. Skai Project with BMW: The Hydrogen Difference

While most concepts rely on heavy lithium-ion batteries, the Skai project, developed by Alaka’i Technologies, stands out. Skai is the first hydrogen-powered eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) vehicle being put into production, offering a potentially superior solution for range and rapid refueling.

Power Source: Utilizing hydrogen fuel cells means the vehicle can carry a much lighter fuel load than traditional batteries for the equivalent energy, leading to better performance.
Performance Metrics: Skai is designed as a four-passenger eVTOL capable of reaching a top speed of 118 mph (190 km/h).
Exceptional Range: It’s estimated to travel up to 400 miles (640 km), which is significantly farther than most battery-electric eVTOL concepts. This range capability could drastically cut long-distance travel times, transforming regional commuting and emergency transport.

The hydrogen approach offers a robust answer to the range anxiety that plagues heavy battery-electric air vehicles, though hydrogen refueling infrastructure remains a major global hurdle.

The Regulatory and Infrastructure Challenge in the UK

For these five concepts to actually take to UK skies, two key areas must align: regulation and infrastructure.

Certification and Airspace Management

The UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) must establish a clear framework for eVTOL operations. This involves:

Noise and Safety Standards: Ensuring these vehicles meet strict urban noise limits and maintain aviation-grade safety levels—a challenge given the complexity of multiple rotors.
Air Traffic Control: Integrating these low-altitude, high-volume aircraft into existing air traffic management systems is a monumental task that requires advanced digital infrastructure. The CAA is actively working on concepts like Drone Corridors and digital airspace management to prepare for this influx.

The Vertiport Infrastructure

eVTOLs are useless without places to land. The UK has been proactive in planning vertiports, designated landing and takeoff sites. Cities like London and Coventry are key targets for initial deployment, with proposals often including:

Rooftop Pads: Utilizing existing parking garages or high-rise building rooftops for landing and charging/refueling.
Micro-Charging Stations: Implementing high-power charging infrastructure capable of replenishing the large batteries quickly, or integrating hydrogen refueling systems for Skai-like vehicles.

The success of the eVTOL market in the UK hinges not just on technological innovation, but on the parallel deployment of a functional, safe, and integrated air mobility infrastructure.

Conclusion: The Future is Taking Shape

The journey from sci-fi fantasy to commercial reality for the flying car is nearly complete. The shift from a road-and-air vehicle to a focused, zero-emission eVTOL aircraft has streamlined the regulatory path, allowing companies like Joby, Suzuki, and Honda to push towards commercial launch dates in the coming years.

The Toyota/Joby partnership is leading the charge on certification, while Skai’s hydrogen power promises superior range. Meanwhile, Porsche and Boeing are poised to define luxury in the emerging Urban Air Mobility (UAM) market.

While UK drivers are focused on new autonomous and electric vehicles on the ground, the true revolution—the one that will bypass traffic entirely—is quietly being built in the skies. The appearance of these eVTOLs will not just be a technological leap; it will fundamentally change how we think about commuting, logistics, and connectivity in the modern world.