DETROIT —Of all the electric vehicles showcased at the Detroit auto show, only one can fully charge in 60 minutes, reach a speed of 155 mph and climb to a height of 12,000 feet.
That distinction belongs to the Air One prototype, a two-seat electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft brought to the Motor City by Israeli startup Air.
The aircraft’s appearance on the show floor was no anomaly. It was one of three displayed at Huntington Place, and they were not there merely to fill space in the once-jammed convention center. In some ways, their presence signaled a glimpse at the symbiosis between the automotive and aviation industries.
Detroit-based Airspace Experience Technologies, known as ASX, unveiled its eVTOL aircraft, which transports pods tailored for cargo or passenger-carrying applications.
ASX developed prototypes at the nearby Coleman A. Young International Airport with hopes of utilizing the auto industry’s supply chain and mass manufacturing expertise for aviation purposes.
Similarly, Air is seeking a manufacturing site in the U.S. with intent to begin production by late 2024. Michigan ranks among the possibilities, a company spokesperson said, cautioning the search remains in a preliminary stage.
While Air and ASX aircraft both utilize batteries to power their aircraft, a third company at the show, Icon Aircraft, displayed its Amphibious Light Sport Aircraft, which can run on aviation-grade gasoline or unleaded automotive fuel. A traditional gas guzzler, just like some of the ground-based vehicles displayed in Detroit.