Forget Traffic Jams – Shanghai's Next Taxi May Take Off Vertically

Forget traffic jams – your next taxi in Shanghai might take off vertically.

At this year's China International Import Expo (CIIE), visitors got a glimpse of the city's "air taxi" future, where a 10-minute flight from Hongqiao to Pudong could cost just 59 yuan, Shanghai Television reported.

At the expo, a low-altitude travel company Vertaxi set up a simulated "vertiport," letting visitors experience the full process of "flying a ride" – from scanning a QR code to board to taking off.

Reporters from Shanghai Television test-rode the company's latest manned aircraft, the M1 "air taxi," and described it as surprisingly spacious and comfortable. The five-seat cabin can hold at least five 20-inch suitcases, with ultra-thin seven-centimeter seats designed to free up legroom.

A trip from Hongqiao to Pudong would take only 10 minutes, while flying from the National Exhibition and Convention Center to Yangcheng Lake would take around 15 minutes, compared to an hour or more by car, the company said.

The company estimates that early fares will be slightly higher than regular taxis but will drop sharply once routes scale up – starting around 50 yuan for short-haul city trips and 100 yuan for intercity routes.

Also making its debut at CIIE was the E20 eVTOL, an electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft capable of flying 200 kilometers at a cruising speed of 260 km/h and a top speed of 320 km/h. It carries one pilot and four passengers and, being fully electric, is expected to keep flight costs close to a taxi ride – about the same price for a 100-kilometer journey.

The company's representative told Shanghai Television that commercial operations could begin as early as next year, calling the "flying taxi" era "imminent."

The concept has sparked heated discussion online. Many netizens celebrated it as "the future of commuting" and "a sci-fi dream come true," while others urged caution, noting that safety standards, legal frameworks, and pilot training should be established before the service takes flight.