Stellantis is expanding its partnership with Archer Aviation to produce an Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft, as reported by Electrek.
'Midnight'
The eVTOL will be named "Midnight" and is being planned to be mass-produced in the US. Archer is a California-based developer that aims to deploy 6,000 aircraft by 2030 and specializes in the design and development of eVTOLs for Urban Air Mobility (UAM) networks.
With their Midnight aircraft, they plan to manufacture them in their planned facility in Covington, Georgia.
The aircraft will be able to transport four passengers plus a pilot. It will be designed to have a payload capacity of over 1,000 pounds and travel 100 miles on a single charge.
Midnight has also been optimized for short back-to-back trips of approximately 20 miles, charging around ten minutes between rides.
Also Read: Stellantis, Samsung to Build EV Battery Factory in Indiana, $2.5B Budget to Create; 1,400 Jobs
Stellantis' Role
Based on a press release, Stellantis will provide up to $150 million in equity capital at the eVTOL developer's discretion through 2024 but is subject to the achievement of specific business milestones this year. In addition, they also plan to increase their shares by purchasing Archer stock in the open market in the future.
Stellantis also has plans to work with Archer to get the Georgia facility up and running. That said, the company will be the exclusive contract manufacturer of the Midnight eVTOLs as early as 2024.
Additionally, the global automaker plans to provide its expertise and personnel that will be able to help Archer scale more quickly and hit their delivery targets.
eVTOLs Today
In the past year, many companies have announced plans for eVTOLs, such as Uber, Volocopter, and other companies. However, the cost of building eVTOLs is usually very high.
Interest in electric aircraft has rapidly grown and is supported by fuel costs and excessive carbon emissions. Electric aircraft, such as the one being developed by Stellantis has been seen as a solution to tackle both these problems.
These changes have been seen as a sign that the global aviation market is changing. The traditional model, where aircrafts are made from metal, is slowly shifting and moving towards a model that is more suited for the 21st century. These new aircrafts are typically made with lightweight carbon fiber, carbon composites and are powered by electricity.
Archer is yet another company that is looking to help solve the air transportation issues of today. With the introduction of eVTOLs, the air transportation industry is projected to grow tremendously.
With that being said, Stellantis is just one of many companies that is looking to help Archer in its journey to develop the technology. Ultimately, their end goal is to provide air transportation in an efficient and environmentally friendly way that will help shape the future.
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