Car giant Stellantis will join forces with US-based firm Archer Aviation to manufacture an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
Stellantis, which owns several car manufacturers including Citroën, Peugeot and Fiat, will build Archer’s Midnight eVTOL craft at a facility in Georgia in the US.
The four-seater Midnight electric aircraft will arrive in 2024 with a 100-mile range and has been optimised to run back-to-back short distance trips of around 20 miles. Charging takes approximately 10 minutes.
Stellantis will also invest up to $150 million in Archer between 2023 and 2024, although this is subject to Archer meeting certain business milestones. The car giant will also increase its shareholding in the aviation company.
Archer hopes that the partnership will help the firm scale up its aircraft production, while also strengthening its path to commercialisation.
“We’ve been working closely with Archer for the past two years, and I am continually impressed by their ingenuity and unwavering commitment to deliver,” said Carlos Tavares, Stellantis CEO.
“Deepening our partnership with Archer as a strategic investor with plans for growing our shareholding demonstrates how Stellantis is pushing the boundaries to provide sustainable freedom of mobility, from the road to the sky.”
READ MORE
Subscribe to the Move Electric newsletter
e-CARS
Ten electric cars we're excited for in 2023
Getting an EV sideways: how easy is it to drift a Kia EV6 GT?
Q&A: Jaguar Racing's Sam Bird and Mitch Evans on Formula E's new era
e-BIKES
Ten electric bikes we're excited for in 2023
Can you get fit using an electric bike?
e-MOTORBIKES
Ten electric motorbikes we're excited for in 2023
Super Soco TC Max electric motorbike review
Cake and Polestar team up for new special edition Makka e-motorbike
e-SCOOTERS
Planned laws to legalise private e-scooters face delay
Five key takeaways from the rental e-scooter trials report
Which train firms have banned e-scooters from their services?
e-WORLD
Move Electric's best features of 2022: lap records, tuk-tuks… and sausage rolls
Volvo Trucks keeps on electric trucking with three new models