Atlantia tries to put the recent past behind it, with the many controversies that have raged from the tragedy of the Morandi Bridge in Genoa to the sale of Autostrade per l’Italia to Cassa Depositi e Prestiti. The company, which controls the activities of Telepass and other companies in the world of mobility, has decided to further diversify its business by focusing on flying taxis, or air taxis.
The German start-up Volocopter, based in Bruchsal in Germany, raised 170 million dollars from numerous investors, according to reports from Il Sole 24 Ore. Among the investors already present there is also Atlantia, which added another $ 35 million to be added to a further participation of 15 million in 2021. The interest in this company is therefore very strong and judging by the collection of investments, many companies believe that city air mobility can become a reality.
Volocopter specializes in the design of electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL). Its main product is VoloCity, a two-seater aircraft with a range of 65 kilometers and a maximum speed of 90 kilometers per hour, thanks to classic lithium batteries. After a phase in which mainly prototypes were seen, Volocopter upped the ante and is now facing certifications by EASA in Europe (European Union Aviation Safety Agency) and FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) in the United States. His goal is to convince these agencies that eVTOLs can be reliable and above all safe, at least as much as the helicopters currently on the market. Hopefully, the Atlantia-funded aircraft could be commercialized in 2024, perhaps with an inaugural ‘launch’ at the turn of the Paris Summer Olympics.
“The airports of our group, together with their partners, are working to put into operation the first structures to host vertical take-off aircraft»Declared Elisabetta De Bernardi, Atlantia’s Investment Director Europe.
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