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Automotive corporation Stellantis and electric vertical takeoff and landing company Archer Aviation announced plans to expand their partnership by producing Midnight, Archer’s flagship eVTOL.
The collaboration aims to combine Archer’s expertise in eVTOL and electric motors with Stellantis’ mass production capabilities. Stellantis also announced that it would offer up to $150 million in equity for the potential withdrawal from Archer. The amount is subject to the business achievements Archer hopes to achieve this year.
Production of the Midnight will take place at an Archer plant near Atlanta and is scheduled to begin in 2024, with Stellantis as the exclusive contract manufacturer. Archer hopes this will eventually launch an urban air mobility network in 2026. Midnight is designed to carry over 1,000 pounds of cargo, including a pilot, four passengers and luggage. It is powered by six independent batteries that each support a pair of electric motors.
The aircraft’s optimal urban commute is expected to be 20 to 50 miles long, with the ability to travel up to 100 miles to 150 miles per hour. According to Archer, the plane will be able to make consecutive trips of about 20 miles, separated by about 10 minutes of charging.
In November, Archer and United Airlines announced that the first eVTOL route would be between Newark Liberty International Airport and New York City. The first planned take-off and landing site will be the midtown Manhattan heliport. Once operational, Archer aims to transport customers between locations in less than 10 minutes, proving significantly faster than an hour’s drive.
