United Airlines buys $1B in electric aircraft with eye toward air taxis

United Airlines is buying $1 billion worth of aircraft from a Silicon Valley startup that's developing small electric aerial vehicles that could one day bring "air taxis" to cities. Palo Alto-based Archer announced Wednesday that United plans to purchase 200 of its Archer eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft, valued at $1 billion. The Chicago-based airline said it has the option to purchase an additional $500 million of the aircraft at a later date. United said it will work with…