We raced a BMW iX against Joby air taxi, and it wasn't even a contest
Published on Nov 27, 2025 at 2:15 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Nov 27, 2025 at 2:15 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
We raced an electric car against the Joby air taxi to see who could reach the Dubai Airshow, and the result was telling.
The car we chose was the BMW iX, which is no slouch.
In the end, there could only be one winner.
And it wasn’t even close.
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It was an absolute landslide for one of these vehicles
One of the key issues when you’re racing your car against Joby is that you can’t tell where the aircraft is.
If you can’t see it, you certainly can’t hear it because Joby is about 100 times quieter than a helicopter.
The whole point of this race to Dubai Airshow – or any other race, for that matter – is to beat the other driver, or pilot, in this case, which means it helps to have at least a reference point or a vague idea where your competition might be.
Unfortunately, he just had to follow the road rules and hope he was somewhat keeping up with the flying car above him.
On the flip side, it’s fair to say that the pressure was all on Joby.
For two reasons.
First, no one expects a car to win against an aircraft.
It’s like an NFL team facing a college team.
Second, this was a big day for Joby because it was its first A-to-B trip ahead of its upcoming public launch in 2026.
The good news for the air taxi – but bad news for Supercar Blondie’s Nathan Bain – was that Joby won, and it wasn’t even close.
It took Joby’s air taxi about 13 minutes to reach the Dubai Airshow, whereas it took Nathan… 40 minutes.
Like an NFL team wiping the floor with a college team.
Why Joby could change the way we commute from A to B
Joby wants to revolutionize the way we commute from A to B within a city.
The company is testing eVTOL air taxis powered by six electric motors, each with a single propeller, which points skywards when hovering or stationary.
Each motor generates up to 316hp, for a top speed of 200mph.
And the aircraft can carry up to four passengers with a maximum payload of 1,000lbs.
Translated into real-world terms, it means you can travel from A to B a lot faster than an Uber can.
The company says it plans on starting FFA-piloted test flights next year to complete its certification.
After which, it’s aiming to launch the passenger service in Los Angeles and New York City before expanding to other cities throughout 2026.
