Flushed with its success in the global taxi business, Uber believes the sky is the limit for its next big venture— battery-powered flying cabs.
The company’s plans for its new service to start “full-scale operations” in some cities within the next 12-15 years were unveiled to some of the world’s leading battery experts at last week’s Florida International Battery Seminar & Exhibit.
But BBB found Uber’s ‘app-and-fly’ proposals failed to lift even the spirits of those present. And our reporting team, which had its feet firmly on the ground at this annual event, noted Uber’s ambitious aerial aspirations were brought down to earth with a bang when put under scrutiny.
According to Celina Mikolajczak, formerly of Tesla and now Uber’s director of battery development, the ‘Uber Elevate’ experience will see passengers being picked up and dropped off (gently) on skyscrapers and designated landing pads. Demo flights are planned for 2020 in the US.
Mikolajczak said the tech firm was investing in “an eco system not aircraft” to transport four people at a time, initially accompanied by a pilot, across distances of typically some 20 miles.
And she obligingly told her audience something that most had already been whispering quietly to each other: “The battery that we need to do this really well does not exist yet.”
“The energy density target is really high. We’re looking for 400 watt hours per kilogramme,” Mikolajczak said. That means lithium-ion rechargeable chemistry, she added.
According to data provided by Uber, the gross weight of its “economic model” vertical take-off and landing craft (VTOL) would be 4,000lbs. The 400 Wh/kg specific energy batteries at the pack level would have a 2,000-cycle life and the VTOL would require 500kW short-term take-off power with one minute of full power at take-off and landing.
Uber estimates 71kW of power will be required at 150mph cruise and 120kW at 200 mph. Nominally a 140kWh pack would be required for a four-person craft— and packs would need to be fast charging so they can “serve rush-hour commutes” then recharge during lulls in between. The charging schedule would be “pretty aggressive”, Mikolajczak added. “I’m hopeful we can achieve this.”
However, Mikolajczak admitted there are “any number of things that can go wrong” including battery-related fires. There are also regulatory issues being discussed with agencies such as the US Federal Aviation Administration.
Mikolajczak told the Florida conference Uber knew it was “making a big ask” of the battery industry. So can the sector rise to the challenge…?
