Just as Hyundai has done with Honeywell International, Stellantis has decided to expand its business by becoming an aircraft manufacturer. Or rather: flying electric taxis. It will do so hand in hand with Archer Aviation with whom it will work to manufacture the Midnight.
The question is inevitable: what is Midnight? It is an eVTOL (Electric vertical take-off and landing), that is, an electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft. It is what we know as a flying car, although in this case it is a flying taxi which has been designed to carry four passengers and a pilot. Although it only has a range of 100 miles, it has been optimized “for consecutive short-distance trips of about 20 miles with a charging time of approximately 10 minutes in between.” Its payload capacity will be 454 kilos.
More and more companies are investing in these air taxis, which can take off and land vertically to take travelers to airports or for short trips between cities that allow them to avoid traffic. According to Archer, the price of these journeys would be compatible with those of a traditional taxi And it could shrink as their presence grows: A ten-minute flight from Manhattan to the Newark, New Jersey, airport could cost $100 per person.
The capital of Stellantis
Stellantis will put up the “technology, advanced manufacturing experience, experienced staff and capital”. According to the agreement, the automobile group will provide 141,000 million euros in equity capital and Archer will be able to draw on those funds, but subject to certain milestones. In addition, Stellantis intends to purchase shares of said company in the future.
Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis, has pointed out that deepening his association with Archer (in force since 2021) with plans focused on increasing his participation in the aforementioned company “shows how Stellantis is pushing the limits to offer sustainable mobility from the roads to the sky”.
Production will start in 2024
Stellantis’ goal is to “mass-produce Archer’s eVTOL aircraft” by adopting an exclusive manufacturer role. To do this, they will build a factory in Covington (Georgia, United States) that will begin its activity at the end of 2024: the initial volume will be 650 aircraft per year and, in a second phase, that figure could increase to 2,300 units per year. Their commitment is so serious and real that United Airlines has already ordered 200 Midnight aircraft.
