California-based electric flight start-up Archer Aviation has agreed to bring advanced air mobility services to Japan with Soracle, a joint venture between Japan Airlines and Sumitomo Corporation.
The company will dispatch 100 of its Midnight electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft as part of the $500 million deal.
Soracle plans to use the air taxis “in cities where existing ground transportation is constrained by traffic or geographic barriers,” the company said in the announcement.
Route locations for the eVTOLs could include Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Hokkaido, Setouchi and Okinawa.
“Japan is widely respected for its forward thinking approach to transportation and this investment into advanced air mobility is yet another example of that,” said Andrew Cummins, Senior Director of Business Development at Archer. “We’re proud to stand with Soracle ahead of this new era of flight—together, we are committed to bringing an innovative, sustainable and convenient transportation alternative to the country.”
Archer’s electric aircraft, Midnight, can travel at speeds up to 150 mph, requires minimal charge time in between flights, is100x quieter than a helicopter at cruising altitudes and can carry up to four passengers.
