BUSINESS

Uber reportedly looking to sell off Elevate, its flying taxi division

December 3rd, 2020

Ride-hailing company Uber has been focusing on decluttering lately; shaving off excess companies and business strategies that are doomed to fail and continue to sap cash from the company's coffers. Last month, we reported on rumors that the company is in talks to sell off its self-driving car business, and now, it seems Uber is poised to do the same with its flying taxi division.

This information comes courtesy of a new report from Axios. The outlet claims that "Uber Elevate" could be shipped off to Joby Aviation after four years of operation, putting an end to the company's skyward ambitions.

If Uber moves forward with the sale, it's probably going to be a smart move in the long run. Uber is a company that arguably tried to spread its wings too far, too fast. It had its hands in food and product delivery, ride-hailing, freight, the self-driving industry, and the focus of today's piece; its air taxi business.

Garmin Outdoor Products


That's simply too much for the company to focus on all at once, especially as it continues to struggle with turning a profit.

Divesting the "assets" that aren't making it any money is a no-brainer for Uber, and will probably give the company much more financial breathing room to focus on the areas that it excels: the core ride-hailing service and Uber Eats. Both services rely on freelancers to function, which aren't particularly expensive compared to hiring best-in-class talent to work on industry-changing tech like self-driving vehicles.

Of course, the pandemic probably hasn't helped any of Uber's non-core business interests either -- if it weren't for Covid-19, who knows? Perhaps the company's air taxi work would have taken off, so to speak.

Curated By

Kaito Tanaka
Strategic Innovation Consultant | Technology Investment Analyst | Operations Research Director
Kaito Tanaka is a futurist journalist who approaches news through the lens of optimization and efficiency. Specializing in cutting-edge technologies like CRISPR, robotics, and supply chain innovations, he distills complex developments into their most actionable insights. Known for his clinical analysis style, Kaito cuts through traditional narratives to identify systemic inefficiencies and opportunities for progress. His commentary reflects a pragmatic worldview where sentiment yields to solutions, and every story is evaluated based on its potential to advance human capability. When he's not tracking breakthrough research, you'll find him optimizing his own workflow or planning his next travel adventure with mathematical precision.

Suggested Reading

Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber

In June 2017, Travis Kalanick, the hard-charging CEO of Uber, was ousted in a boardroom coup that capped a brutal year for the transportation giant. Uber had catapulted to the top of the tech world, yet for many came to symbolize everything wrong with Silicon Valley. Award-winning New York Times te...

Wild Ride: Inside Uber's Quest for World Domination

Before Travis Kalanick became famous as the public face of Uber, he was a scrappy, rough-edged, loose-lipped entrepreneur. And even after taking Uber from the germ of an idea to a $69 billion global transportation behemoth, he still describes his company as a start-up. Like other Silicon Valley icon...

Are We There Yet?: The American Automobile Past, Present, and Driverless

Robot-controlled cars have already logged millions of miles. These technological marvels promise cleaner air, smoother traffic, and tens of thousands of lives saved. But even if robots turn into responsible drivers, are we ready to be a nation of passengers? In Are We There Yet?, Dan Albert combine...

Flying Cars, Zombie Dogs, and Robot Overlords: How World's Fairs and Trade Expos Changed the World

Every time you plug your phone into a wall socket, flick on a TV, withdraw money from an ATM, lick an ice-cream cone, switch on a computer, ride an escalator, play a DVR, watch a movie about dinosaurs, get fingerprinted, or pop a tranquilizer, you're doing something that originated at a world's fair...

We use cookies to improve your experience on our website. By continuing to browse, you accept our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.