Japan has quickly become the center of eVTOL and air taxi technology. This morning, Archer Aviation announced that it is the latest sustainable aircraft developer to sign an agreement in the region and begin air taxi operations, starting with Soracle Corporation's purchase of up to 100 Midnight eVTOL aircraft.
As mentioned above, Japan, while slow to adopt all-electric vehicles, appears to be fully embracing the prospect of electric vertical-to-fly (eVTOL) air taxi networks. Starting in 2021, the Osaka Roundtable, a Japanese organization, announced a partnership with Germany's Volocopter to develop strategies to develop and operate air taxi networks.
Other companies such as SkyDrive have partnered with Japanese OEMs such as Suzuki to help build their eVTOL aircraft overseas and have also seen government funding in their efforts to continue the development of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM).
Earlier this week, Joby Aviation completed its first eVTOL test flight demonstration in Japan with officials from Toyota, a major investor. Today, California-based air taxi developer Archer Aviation announced it will join its overseas competitors and already has its first customer lined up for a potentially huge eVTOL order.
Arrow is doing a joint venture to develop air taxis in Japan
Per Archer Aviation, has signed a partnership with Soracle Corporation, which itself was established this summer as a joint venture between Sumitomo Corporation and Japan Airlines, headquartered in Tokyo.
To kick things off, Soracle intends to launch AAM operations in Japan using Archer's flagship eVTOL aircraft to provide the public with electric taxi flights in cities where ground vehicle transportation is currently restricted by traffic or geographic barriers.
As part of the joint venture, Soracle received the right to order up to 100 Midnight planes, totaling approximately $500 million. Terms of that potential purchase include pre-delivery payments based on milestones before the eVTOLs are delivered. Soracle CEO Yukihiro Ota shared his thoughts following the signing ceremony held between the two companies on September 26, 2024:
Through the operation of eVTOL aircraft, Soracle aims to enrich lives and society by creating more accessible air transportation services in Japan. We will provide safe and reliable services to passengers by making the most of the wealth of information we have accumulated from Japan Airlines and Sumitomo Corporation. Today's announcement is the first step in making the future we envision a reality.
To support a network of air taxi routes in attractive areas, as well as domestic and international tourists, can use them to travel quickly around Japan. The company revealed that those route areas may include metropolitan areas such as Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Hokkaido, Setouchi, and Okinawa.
To begin selling AAM and air taxi services in Japan, Archer and Soracle shared joint plans to hold a public air show at the World Expo to build public support, showcase the future of technology, and accelerate stakeholder investment. The World Expo will be held in Osaka, Kansai, Japan, from April to October 2024.
With today's news, Archer is adding Soracle and Japan to its list of global customers and partners. The list already includes Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, KaKaoMobility in Korea, and the United Arab Emirates.
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