NOW THIS IS THE 21st CENTURY I WAS PROMISED: Bell’s hybrid-electric flying car will be available via Uber by the ‘mid-2020s.’

Bell may have other motives in joining the hype parade at CES than just showing off a cool air taxi concept. The helicopter industry has experienced one of the sharpest disruptions caused by the slide in global oil prices. Bell is owned by global aerospace conglomerate Textron, which also includes Cessna Aircraft, Beechcraft, and other flight companies. A pivot from helicopters to electric VTOL would be a signal to investors that the company is looking toward the future.

In 2016, Uber first introduced its plan to bring its ride-sharing capabilities to the airspace over cities, but the project still faces significant hurdles. The kind of aircraft Uber envisions shuttling passengers from rooftop to rooftop — electric, autonomous, with the ability to take off and land vertically — don’t really exist yet, nor does the infrastructure to support such a service. Experts suggest that engineering and regulatory hindrances may prevent flying cars from ever taking off in a meaningful way.

That’s not to say flying cars aren’t having a moment: at least 19 companies are developing flying-car plans. These include legacy manufacturers like Boeing and Airbus, and small startups like Kitty Hawk, owned by Google founder Larry Page. Meanwhile, Uber has made significant strides in partnering with a handful of aircraft manufacturers, real estate firms, and regulators to better its chances of developing a fully functional, on-demand flying taxi service.

Only all-electric VTOL aircraft will be included in Uber’s air taxi service, though, which would seem to preclude a hybrid propulsion system like Bell’s Nexus vehicle. That said, Mark Moore, engineering director of aviation at Uber, said the concept was an important “first step” toward an all-electric, fully commercial flying taxi service.

It certainly looked awesome at CES today.