Toyota inks a long-term production agreement with eVTOL manufacturer Joby
Joby Aviation, a business developing all-electric aircraft for commercial passenger service, announced a long-term partnership with Toyota Motor Corporation to supply essential powertrain and actuation components for the business’s aircraft production.
The deal expands on Joby and Toyota’s long-standing partnership, which has seen the two firms engage on a wide range of projects to support the production and assembly of Joby aircraft, including advising on the design of Joby’s pilot production line in Marina, California. Toyota is also Joby’s largest external shareholder, with a $400 million investment in the company.
In response to the arrangement, Joby founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt stated, “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.”
“I appreciate Toyota’s unwavering commitment to Joby as we collaborate to bring a new type of fast, quiet, and emissions-free mobility to cities and communities around the world.” Their skills and understanding have helped us stay on pace to create an aircraft that we believe is truly best-in-class at scale.”
The components will be supplied to Joby’s powertrain and electronics manufacturing facility in San Carlos, California, before the finished assemblies are shipped to the Company’s pilot production line in Marina for integration. Joby’s Marina facilities were designed with Toyota’s assistance, using decades of experience providing dependable, high-quality cars at high volume. They are intended to test out scalable tooling and processes at modest levels prior to full-scale aircraft production.
“We are very pleased to have reached this milestone with our key partner,” said Toyota Motor Corporation Connected Company President Keiji Yamamoto. Our shared goal is to mass produce eVTOLs while also assisting Joby in implementing the finest practices of the Toyota Production System in order to fulfil high quality, dependability, safety, and rigorous cost standards.
“We are excited about the prospect of further collaboration as we work to achieve Mobility for All through a seamlessly integrated air-to-ground mobility network.”
In Japan, Joby is collaborating with Toyota subsidiary Aero Asahi on an air taxi shuttle service for Toyota-related passengers. Joby recently stated that it has formally applied to the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) to validate its anticipated FAA aircraft type certification.
