Joby, Toyota Fly Electric Air Taxi in Japan

Over the weekend, Joby Aviation, the manufacturer of an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi designed for a pilot and as many as four passengers, flew its flagship model outside the U.S. for the first time at Toyota’s facility in Shizuoka. The exhibition follows Toyota’s recent cash injection of $500 million to help Joby develop, certify, and manufacture its air taxi, which takes off vertically like a helicopter but uses fixed wings for cruise.

Joby’s aircraft has a top speed of 200 mph (174 knots) and expected range of about 100 sm (87 nm). It is designed for operations in congested city environments such as New York, where the company last year performed the city's first eVTOL flights out of Manhattan’s Downtown Heliport (KJRB).

The firm expects to launch in the U.S. as soon as next year in partnership with Delta Air Lines, which will open its hubs for Joby to operate home-to-airport air taxi routes. It also has an integration with Uber, allowing riders to book flights through the Uber app and vice versa.

Joby has yet to announce firm plans to operate in Japan—Saturday's exhibition flight was intended to demonstrate the air taxi’s quiet operation. Per the company’s assessment, it generates just over 45 dBA noise when cruising at about 1,600 feet, equivalent to the volume of rustling leaves or an office conversation.

Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda, Toyota North America CEO Ted Ogawa, and representatives from Japan’s Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) were in attendance.

“Air mobility has the potential to change our ‘sense of distance and time’ and open a future with the new option of air mobility that will further enrich the lives of many people,” said Hiroki Nakajima, executive vice president and chief technology officer of Toyota. “Toyota is committed to deepening our collaboration with Joby and we will continue to work together to realize our shared dreams.”

Since partnering with Joby seven years ago, Toyota has become the firm’s largest external investor, pouring more than $900 million into its technology.

The automaker will be the company’s chief manufacturing partner and is working alongside Joby personnel at its manufacturing and flight test center at Marina Municipal Airport (KOAR) in California. The companies last year agreed for Toyota to provide powertrains and actuators for Joby’s flagship design.

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