Stellantis to Build 100-Mile Electric Aircraft For Archer
Stellantis is looking up in addition to the global lineup of electric cars and trucks currently in development, as it announces a new partnership with Archer Aviation to create a new electric aircraft.
An unstoppable aviation force will work alongside an immovable transport object © Credit to Stellantis
More news coming from CES 2023, this time in the aviation field with Stellantis announcing that it will work alongside Archer Aviation to build the Archer Midnight electric aircraft. The plan also includes $150 million in funding between 2023 and 2024.
The Midnight is an electrical vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft of the kind that’s become trendy among mobility startups. it will utilise many wing-mounted small rotors in order to lift it off the ground.
Range-wise, it is expected to travel 100 miles total, which might not seem like a lot, but as we covered in our blog on drone taxis, this type of transport is very much in its infancy, hence why Stellantis and brands such as Amazon, are all getting in on the action.
We're excited to announce Archer is joining forces with @Stellantis to manufacture our flagship eVTOL aircraft, Midnight. (🧵1/5)https://t.co/YY0uHygK9s pic.twitter.com/FwWd5X1QU9
— Archer (@ArcherAviation) January 4, 2023
While the Midnight can travel 100 miles, Stellantis has stated that the goal of this aircraft is to travel very short distances (like 20-minute trips max with a 10-minute charging time in between).
We imagine this would come in very handy for those looking at alternative means to travel to and from certain locations, such as airports and places like that.
Archer previously announced a manufacturing facility in Covington, Georgia, which will now benefit from Stellantis’ manufacturing technology and expertise, as well as the promised funding.
The plan is to start manufacturing aircraft in Georgia starting in 2024, with Stellantis as Archer’s exclusive contract manufacturing partner.
This partnership should come as no surprise if you were tasked with picking an investor for Archer given how long the relationship between the two parties has lasted. Stellantis has been tied to Archer since 2020 and began investing in them a year later.
This latest update is an additional step in this relationship, clearly, one that hopefully brings us even closer to fully-operational eVTOL aircraft.
Would you take a trip in one of these eVTOL aircraft? We would, but we’re quite happy trying anything EV-related. Give us your answer via our Instagram page.
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