eVTOL stands for electric vertical takeoff and landing.
In plain English, an eVTOL is an aircraft designed to take off and land vertically, usually using electric propulsion. Many are being developed as air taxis for short passenger trips across cities or between airports and urban centers.
The basic promise is simple: combine the vertical convenience of a helicopter with quieter electric propulsion, lower operating costs, and eventually more scalable service.
But the category is broad. Some eVTOLs are piloted passenger aircraft. Some are autonomous. Some are cargo-focused. Some look like small airplanes with tilting propellers. Others look closer to multicopter drones scaled up for people.
The term flying car gets used because it is more familiar to the public, but most eVTOL aircraft are not cars. They are aircraft that need aviation certification, trained operators, landing infrastructure, and airspace integration.