![]()
Joby Aviation announced Wednesday it partnered with Atlantic Aviation to electrify existing infrastructure in New York and California. With this collaboration, Joby is preparing for the launch of its eVTOL air taxi service.
With Atlantic, a leading provider of aviation services and infrastructure, Joby will focus on the activation of different Atlantic sites to support the integration of the quiet, emissions-free air taxi system. This includes the installation of Joby's Global Electric Aviation Charging System. Both companies will undergo an extensive analysis of how Joby's air taxi can operate at various locations in the same airspace as other traditional or electric aircraft. With a successful integration in the coming years, Joby can offer customers a new method to travel from point A to point B in congested cities, traveling quieter and with sustainability in mind.
Atlantic has a large operational footprint across major cities in the U.S., including sides in the NYC and Los Angeles metropolitan areas, where the partnership will focus first. There are other sites from coast to coast, including in Alaska and Hawaii.
"Infrastructure is a critical piece of the puzzle and Atlantic's presence in these two key U.S. markets will help ensure we're well positioned to deliver a meaningful service for our customers," Joby Aviation CEO and Founder JoeBen Bevirt said. "We're excited to be working together to lay the foundation for the next generation of clean and quiet flight."RELATED STORIES:Joby, Clay Lacy Aviation partner to install first electric air taxi charger in Southern CaliforniaJoby completes first-ever electric air taxi flight in New York City
Atlantic is focused on creating a technology-agnostic critical infrastructure for aviation and works with its existing business to provide quality FBO services to its customers. The company aims to support all types of aircraft that fly into the facilities.
"Our collaboration with Joby is a key step in Atlantic's push to bring existing aviation infrastructure into the future and solidify Atlantic's leading role in supporting the growth of electric aviation," said John Redcay, chief commercial and sustainability officer at Atlantic. "We will be a technology-agnostic supporter of advanced air mobility and our work with Joby is a key part of that journey."
Joby's charging system GEACS is designed to support the operation of electric aircraft safely and with improved efficiency. The system will support electric aircraft currently in development and reduce the downtime between flights, maximizing the life of aircraft batteries. The GEACS technical specifications were recently released and the system is currently installed at Edwards Air Force Base and Joby's flight testing facility in Marina, California. Joby is also working with multiple electric aircraft developers to ensure interoperability.
The air taxi can carry a pilot and four passengers, traveling at speeds up to 200 miles per hour. The eVTOL can offer high-speed mobility for a small fraction of the noise produced by helicopters and without any in-flight emissions. In November, Joby completed the first-ever flight of an electric air taxi in New York City, as well as participated in an event held by city leadership announcing the intent to electrify the Downtown Manhattan Heliport.
Recently, Joby partnered with Clay Lacy Aviation to install the first electric air taxi charger in Southern California at the John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Orange County, California. The installation will support the GEACS system and is part of a $100 million redevelopment plan for its FBO terminal at SNA and the completion is expected in mid-2025.On Wednesday, eVTOL manufacturer Archer announced it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Atlantic to operationalize sites for electric aircraft in LA and New York metropolitan areas, as well as in Northern California and South Florida. The two companies will also electrify existing aviation assets to support future eVTOL operations, including Archer's Midnight air taxi. The pair will utilize existing relationships with BETA Technologies to install BETA's interoperable rapid recharging systems. The chargers use the Combined Charging System recently endorsed by GAMA and being used by several OEM's in the industry. RELATED STORY:Atlantic Aviation, BETA Technologies partner to install electric charging stationsThe launch is anticipated for 2025 and the expansion of services to other locations across Atlantic locations is planned to follow. "We are excited to work with Atlantic to help electrify their vast portfolio of high-value aviation assets in America's most congested cities including the New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and San Francisco markets," Archer CCO Nikhil Goel said. "These initial eVTOL vertiport locations will provide a launching pad for future expansion across Atlantic's portfolio and ensure that our Midnight aircraft has safe, centrally located landing facilities for our future passengers." "We are impressed with Archer's technology and suite of world-class partners including United Airlines; we are excited to work together to electrify our aviation assets to enable quiet and sustainable urban air travel in cities across the U.S.," Redcay said.