DAILY INNOVATION BRIEF by Maryanne Kane, Journalist
DAILY INNOVATION BRIEF
By Journalists Edward Kane & Maryanne Kane
TAKING YOUR KIDS TO SCHOOL IN STYLE
A Porsche Minivan concept? Porsche's luxury electric minivan could be the answer. Here's what we know:
- While minivan interest in the US and Europe is declining, they are beloved in other global markets
- Other luxury minivans like Toyota's Alphard have seen significant popularity in Asia
- Porsche's new minivan concept is bold and innovative
- It's called the Vision Renndienst
- It has an innovative central driving position
- All-electric with 6 seats
- Though Porsche's main focus is sports cars, it's surprising luxury minivan concept is fascinating.
US FLYING TAXI READIES FOR SERVICE
- San Jose-based Archer Aviation, an electric aircraft startup, is partnering with Texas-based Atlantic Aviation to build the flying taxi infrastructure to start flying taxi operations with its electric aircraft Midnight in the US in 2025. Here are the facts:
- Midnight is an all-electric, vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL)
- Can carry a pilot and 4 passengers
- Takes off and lands like a helicopter and flies like a plane
- Top speed of 150 mph
- Designed for 20-to-50-mile city flights with 12-minute recharges
- Flies at an altitude up to 1500 feet
- Archer and Atlantic are developing electric plane infrastructure at Atlantic's existing airport network including at Santa Monica Airport
- Early launch cities include LA, NYC and Miami
- Initial routes will be "trunk" routes from airports to center cities
- Said to be safer than a helicopter with every major component backed up by redundant components
- Said to be 100-times quieter than a helicopter
- Archer is a company to watch as the flying taxi industry takes off - United Airlines has already bought $1 billion of their aircraft.
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