Bell Air Taxi Lands in CES Las Vegas
At CES 2018 in Las Vegas, Bell Helicopter, the Texas-based aviation manufacturer with over 80 years of rotorcraft experience, unveiled an urban air taxi concept that signalled a strategic pivot toward electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles. The concept demonstrated how a future flying taxi service could integrate connected technology, on-demand booking, and premium passenger comfort into a single platform, bringing urban air mobility one step closer to commercial reality.
What Bell Revealed at CES 2018
Bell's CES 2018 presentation introduced its vision for an autonomous or piloted air taxi that would operate as a flying rideshare service in dense urban environments. The concept vehicle was designed as a tech-first cabin: integrated Wi-Fi enabling video calls during flight, wireless charging points throughout the passenger compartment, and a connected platform that would allow booking, routing, and real-time communication to function as seamlessly as a smartphone application.
The Bell Nexus Program
The CES 2018 concept formed part of Bell's broader eVTOL development program, which culminated in the full reveal of the Bell Nexus at CES 2019. The Nexus uses six tilting ducted fans for vertical takeoff and transition to forward flight, carries one pilot and four passengers, and targets a cruising speed of 179 mph with a range of up to 150 miles. Bell announced its air taxi partnership with Uber Elevate at the Uber Elevate Summit in 2017, positioning the Nexus as one of the vehicles intended to serve Uber Air's planned urban air taxi network.
Bell's CES appearances in 2018 and 2019 were significant moments in the emerging urban air mobility sector, demonstrating that a major established aviation manufacturer was willing to compete directly with aerospace start-ups for a share of the eVTOL market. Bell's heritage in military and commercial rotorcraft, including the UH-1 Huey helicopter and the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor, gave it unique credibility as an eVTOL developer at a time when most competitors had no flight hours to their name.
Urban Air Mobility: From Concept to Reality
The Bell CES 2018 concept was one of several urban air mobility visions presented during that period that have since either reached testing stage or evolved into commercial programmes. The idea of replacing urban car trips with short eVTOL hops has moved from speculative to operational at several companies, with certified eVTOL aircraft now flying in restricted commercial contexts. For a detailed look at where the Bell Nexus program has progressed, see eVTOL.news' Bell Nexus coverage and Flying Magazine's technical breakdown.
Flying Cars and eVTOL Aircraft at TheArsenale
The urban air mobility sector Bell previewed in 2018 is now a category you can buy into. The XPENG X2 eVTOL is a two-seat personal electric flying car from China's leading smart EV manufacturer, and the EHang AAV is a certified autonomous passenger drone already operating in several countries. Browse the complete Air collection at TheArsenale for eVTOL vehicles, flying cars, and personal aircraft, and discover the full range of airplanes and drones curated by our team.
