Every eVTOL developer faces the same physics problem: hovering demands enormous power, while efficient cruising wants wings. The three dominant configurations answer that trade-off differently — and the choice shapes everything from range to certification difficulty.
Multicopter: Simplicity First
Multicopters like the Volocopter VoloCity and EHang EH216-S use many fixed rotors and no wing. They are mechanically simple and excellent for short urban hops, but hover-style flight limits speed and range — typically under 40 km of practical range.
Lift + Cruise: Two Systems, One Aircraft
Lift + cruise designs such as BETA’s ALIA and Wisk’s Gen 6 pair dedicated vertical lift rotors with a separate forward propulsion system and a wing. The lift rotors simply stop in cruise. This keeps complexity moderate while unlocking regional-scale range.
Vectored Thrust: Maximum Performance
Vectored thrust aircraft — including the Joby S4, Archer Midnight and Vertical VX4 — tilt their rotors or entire nacelles between hover and cruise. Using the same propulsors for both phases saves weight and delivers the highest speeds, at the cost of the most demanding engineering and certification path.
Compare all three families side by side in the eVTOL aircraft database.