Future mobility hubs link air taxis, robotaxis

• The envisioned multimodal transportation hubs are a place where air taxis, robotaxis and ridesharing services will converge.

The big picture: Infrastructure is rapidly becoming the backbone of the next era of mobility.

• Charging and maintenance depots are critical components for large-scale robotaxi fleets, with AV companies racing to lock up the best sites and secure the necessary power to enable frequent charging and quick turnarounds.
• Private equity firms — including EQT and BlackRock's Global Infrastructure Partners — are betting that robotaxi depots will become a new category of infrastructure investment, much like data centers, warehouses and cell towers.

Electric air taxis need a similar foundation, and Kalanick, whose firm just raised $1.7 billion, recognizes the need.

• "Smart cities require innovative real estate and infrastructure development" Kalanick said in a statement.
• "As new transport modes and smart city services become available, designing and deploying a new asset class to support them is critical."

Zoom in: Atoms will initially focus on building hubs in Florida, New York and Texas, where Joby is preparing to launch early operations under the White House-backed eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP), as well as California.

• The companies did not say how much they plant to invest in the facilities, but the first locations are expected to be announced soon.

What they're saying: "Thoughtful urban planning can take a decade or more, and making electric flight part of everyday life will require a new generation of transportation hubs that connect aircraft, ground transportation and communities," said JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby, in a statement.

The intrigue: The deal is a full-circle moment for Kalanick, who envisioned autonomous vehicles and air taxis when he led Uber from 2010 to 2017.

• Uber later unloaded the AV business to Aurora and sold the air taxi unit, Uber Elevate, to Joby.
• Now Uber is among the investors in Atoms' $1.7 billion funding round, which was led by Andreessen Horowitz.