All-electric aircraft for commercial passenger service, Joby Aviation, Inc. recently signed an agreement with Toyota Motor Corporation Inc. to supply the company’s key powertrain and actuation component production, according to a press release.
“Our partnership with Toyota continues to be an integral part of Joby’s success, from assisting in the design of our pilot production line in Marina, California, to supplying key components for our aircraft,” JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby, said.
Designed by Joby and manufactured by Toyota, the components are scheduled to be delivered in San Carlos, California, and then sent off to the company’s pilot production line in Marina to begin integration following the completion of assemblies. The structure is designed to improve processing volume and increase production to full scale.
“We are very pleased to have reached this milestone with our key partner. Our mutual goal is mass production of eVTOL and helping Joby apply the best practices of the Toyota Production System in meeting high quality, reliability, safety and strict cost standards,” Toyota Motor Corporation Connected Company President Keiji Yamamoto said. “We are excited about the potential for further collaboration as we seek to realize Mobility for All with a seamlessly integrated air-to-ground mobility network.”
The project continues a long-term partnership between the two companies, intended to leverage the production and assembly of the Joby aircraft. Toyota has invested approximately $400 million in Joby, making it the company’s largest external shareholder.
“I’m grateful for Toyota’s unwavering dedication to Joby as we work together to deliver a new form of fast, quiet and emissions-free mobility for cities and communities around the world. Their expertise and knowledge has helped put us on track to deliver, at scale, an aircraft that we believe is truly best-in-class,” Bevirt said.
Joby is also working in collaboration with Toyota subsidiary Aero Asahi to develop an air taxi shuttle service aimed at Japan-based Toyota-affiliated passengers in Japan. The company also applied to the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau to become certified in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aircraft types.