New electric air taxi venture on way

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune - www.newsofbahrain.com

US carrier Southwest Airlines plans to jointly develop a fleet of electric air taxis to serve the California market with transportation startup Archer Aviation, the companies announced Friday.

The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding envisioning Southwest making use of Archer’s “Midnight” aircraft throughout the nation’s largest state, offering short trips from California’s 14 airports.

Begun as an aviation venture in 2018, Santa Clara, California-based Archer has been working to gain Federal Aviation Administration certification of its electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

The company’s Midnight eVTOL can carry four passengers in addition to a pilot.

The aircraft is “designed to transform urban travel, replacing 60-to-90-minute commutes by car with estimated 10-to-20-minute electric air taxi flights,” said a joint press release.

“The goal of Archer’s aircraft is to offer a safe, low-noise, cost-competitive transportation option with no direct emissions.”

The South - west venture follows a joint announcement from Stellantis and Archer earlier this month in which the automaker agreed to an additional $55 million investment in the startup.