Porsche and Boeing (www.boeing.com) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore the premium urban air mobility market and the extension of urban traffic into ‘airspace’.

Through the partnership, both companies will leverage their market strengths and insights to study the future of premium personal urban air mobility vehicles.

Detlev von Platen, board member for sales and marketing at Porsche AG (www.porsche.com), said: “Porsche is looking to enhance its scope as a sports car manufacturer by becoming a leading brand for premium mobility.

"In the longer term, this could mean moving into the ‘third dimension’ of travel.

"We are combining the strengths of two leading global companies to address a potential key market segment of the future.”

As part of the partnership, the companies will create an international team to address various aspects of urban air mobility, including analysis of the market potential for premium vehicles and ‘possible use cases’.

Boeing, Porsche and Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences are also developing a concept for a fully electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle.

Engineers from both companies, as well as Porsche subsidiaries Porsche Engineering Services GmbH and Studio FA Porsche, will produce a prototype.

Steve Nordlund, general manager of Boeing NeXt (an organisation that is laying the foundation for a next-generation mobility ecosystem in which autonomous and piloted vehicles can safely co-exist), said: “This collaboration builds on our efforts to develop a safe and efficient new mobility ecosystem, and it provides an opportunity to investigate the
development of a premium urban air mobility vehicle with a leading automotive brand.

"Porsche and Boeing together bring precision engineering, style and innovation to accelerate urban air mobility world-wide.”

A 2018 study by Porsche Consulting forecasts that the urban air mobility market will pick up speed after 2025.

It also indicates that urban air mobility solutions will transport passengers more quickly and efficiently than current conventional means of terrestrial transport, at a lower cost and with greater flexibility.