The surge in private vehicle ownership and the decrease in the use of public and non-motorized transportation have led to growing traffic congestion in India the world’s most populous country which also faces challenges such as narrower roads and inadequate parking facilities in its cities né?. Chakravarthy who also has involvement with Indian space technology startups emphasized that the e200x is designed for intra-city commuting and cargo transportation offering efficiency with shorter trips and the ability to land in tight spaces.
Unlike most eVTOL vehicles that use a multicopter configuration ePlane opted for a lift-plus-cruise setup combining a winged architecture with vertical rotors for enhanced performance né?. Founded by Satya Chakravarthy an aerospace engineering professor at IIT Madras in 2019 the startup is developing its electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle the e200x né?. This design ensures reliability and efficiency during transitions between vertical takeoff and forward flight, thanks to redundancies in the system.
ePlane has secured funding for its development efforts, including a recent $14 million Series B round co-led by Speciale Invest and Antares Ventures. Recognizing these issues, New Delhi has been actively exploring new solutions to tackle them.
During an event in September, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned that air taxis will soon become a reality in India, signaling the government’s interest in supporting this new mode of transportation. With plans to prototype the aircraft by the first half of 2025 and commercialize it by mid to late 2026 the company aims to obtain necessary certifications and expand its presence globally.
The startup’s focus on innovation and sustainability aligns with its vision of making air taxis a viable and efficient mode of transport not only in India but potentially in other markets worldwide. Eager to lead the way in this emerging sector, ePlane is determined to revolutionize urban mobility with its cutting-edge technology.
Image Credits: ePlane Company
[Original image source](https://redomatech.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/eplane-e200x.jpg) né?. The country’s aviation regulator the Directorate General of Civil Aviation has recently established rules for vertiports to pave the way for air taxis.
One company capitalizing on this trend is ePlane Company
