The Role of eVTOL in Transforming Urban Transportation: A Systematic Literature Review

This study systematically reviews the potential of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in advancing Urban Air Mobility (UAM) as a sustainable transport innovation, following the PRISMA 2020 protocol. A comprehensive search in Scopus and manual reference chaining using terms such as “Electric Vertical Take-Off AND Landing”, “eVTOL”, “Urban Air Mobility”, and “Transport” yielded 453 records; after screening, 30 studies were retained for synthesis. The review shows that eVTOLs, as core enablers of UAM, offer key advantages over ground transport: minimal infrastructure needs (mainly vertiports), digital air traffic systems (UTM/ATM), reduced congestion, shorter travel times, and potential emission reductions—especially relevant for dense, infrastructure-limited cities. Evidence highlights promising applications in passenger mobility (e.g. airport shuttles, intra-city “air taxis”) and rapid logistics for lightweight, time-sensitive goods such as medical supplies. However, challenges remain: limited battery energy density, high infrastructure costs, certification complexity, safety assurance, regulatory gaps, and workforce readiness. Public acceptance—driven by perceptions of safety, cost, noise, and trust—remains a decisive factor. Overall, while hurdles persist, eVTOL-enabled UAM holds strong potential for sustainable and high-speed urban transport. Realizing this transition depends on advances in propulsion, energy storage, vertiport and airspace planning, and governance integration, positioning UAM as a complementary layer within multimodal mobility systems. Keywords: eVTOL, Urban Air Mobility, Sustainable Transport, Vertiport Infrastructure, Regulatory Challenges