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Stellantis and Archer Aviation Inc. have announced their agreement to significantly expand their partnership by joining forces to manufacture Archer’s flagship electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, Midnight.
Stellantis will work with Archer to stand up Archer’s recently announced manufacturing facility in Covington, Georgia at which the companies plan to begin manufacturing the Midnight aircraft in 2024. Midnight is designed to be safe, sustainable, quiet and, with its expected payload of over 1,000 pounds, can carry four passengers plus a pilot. With a range of 100 miles, Midnight is optimized for back-to-back short distance trips of around 20 miles, with a charging time of approximately 10 minutes in-between.
Since its inception, Stellantis has invested in the research, development, and deployment of technologies that ensure clean, safe and affordable mobility. Why? To create innovation that addresses human aspirations. This vision is fueled by a sky-high belief in the company’s capacity to cross new frontiers in innovation. And to meet new kinds of challenges,Stellantis is forging new kinds of partnerships. One of those partnerships is with Archer Aviation, a leading developer of electric air taxis, which offers a fast, safe, quiet and sustainable way for people to get around cities.
As a strategic partner, Stellantis will provide Archer up to $150 million of equity capital to help ramp up and scale production of Archer’s Midnight all-electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft designed for high-throughput urban flights. Powered by six independent battery packs, Midnight is designed to produce zero carbon emissions during operation. With a range of up to 100 miles, but optimized to conduct back-to-back flights of 20 miles, with approximately 10-minutes charging time between flights and an expected payload of 1,000 pounds, Midnight can carry four passengers plus pilot, for safe, quick, convenient and emission-free hops over gridlocked traffic.
Stellantis is working side by side with Archer to help it build the first high-volume eVTOL aircraft manufacturing facility in Covington, Georgia, where the companies plan to begin producing Midnight in 2024. With an initial 350,000 square-foot footprint and production capacity of up to 650 aircraft per year, the plant is designed so that it can be expanded by an additional 550,000 square feet to support production of up to 2,300 aircraft per year.
Midnight has the potential to help achieve carbon net zero travel. Once safely integrated into the national airspace, it will serve as an innovative, price-competitive new option to change how people achieve comfort, convenience and efficiency during their urban commutes. To solidify this strength for decades to come, Stellantis is contributing advanced manufacturing technology and expertise, experienced personnel and capital to the partnership to enable the rapid scaling of aircraft production to meet Archer’s plans to begin service in 2025.
Stellantis CEO, Carlos Tavares, said:“Supporting Archer with our manufacturing capability is another example of how Stellantis will lead the way the world moves. We are pushing the boundaries to take urban air mobility a take further, delivering as many tools as possible to our fellow citizens to protect their freedom of mobility, from the road to the sky.”
Archer Aviation CEO, Adam Goldstein, said: “What Stellantis brings to the table is over a century of experience in manufacturing vehicles at scale, bringing world-class products to market. We are going to work together to stand-up the Georgia facility with Stellantis contributing personnel, capital, technology, know-how and processes. This will help accelerate our company and the scaling of Midnight production.”
Transitioning from legacy technologies and integrating modern and emerging solutions is a key aspect of the Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan. Advanced urban air mobility is an innovative way of traveling short to medium distances carrying people high above congested roads at fares that compete with ground-based ride share. Eco-friendly, safe, cost-effective, and time efficient: Archer’s Midnight aircraft checks all the boxes, enhancing urban connectivity with the convenience of ordering an electric air taxi on a phone app.
“Our partnership with Archer will be a catalyst for further technological breakthroughs, not just in the eVTOL aircraft field, but across all our advanced manufacturing and technology sectors, inspiring innovation and educating us today for the opportunities of tomorrow, ” Tavares said.
