MT Magazine July/August 2023

FEATURE STORY

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The Toyota Production System, Too Archer isn’t the only eVTOL company in this space with a somewhat analogous approach to developing an entirely new passenger aircraft. In late April 2023 Joby Aviation announced signing a long-term agreement with Toyota Motor Corp. for powertrain and actuation components. What’s more, Toyota

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. — Keiji Yamamoto, president of Connected Co., Toyota Motor Corp.

has been working with Joby on the design of the pilot production line for the aircraft, as well as participating in various projects. Keiji Yamamoto, president of Connected Co., Toyota Motor Corp., said, “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.” JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby, said of Toyota, which also happens to be the largest external shareholder in the company with an investment of approximately $400 million, “Their expertise has helped put us on track to deliver, at scale, an aircraft that we believe is truly best-in-class.” Another company participated with Joby in the development of the eVTOL. According to a company spokesperson, “The airframe is a carbon fiber composite we have developed in house, in collaboration with Toray.” Toray Industries is one of the leading composites suppliers on the planet. While Joby is currently operating its pilot production facility in Marina, California, the company will soon announce the location of its major production operation.

Delta and the Air Force It is also worth noting that Joby also has a relationship with a major air carrier: Delta Air Lines has made an upfront equity investment of $60 million in Joby, with the potential of investing up to $200 million. And there is an operational relationship between them, with the aircraft providing services to Delta’s airline customers, initially in New York and Los Angeles. And although this has concentrated on the commercial aspects of the two companies, going back to the “National Aeronautics Science & Technology Priorities,” Joby also has a $131 million contract with the U.S. Air Force (e.g., it will be delivering two of its five-seat eVTOLs to Edwards Air Force Base early in 2024). Things like flying cars are still fanciful. The creation of eVTOLs is the real thing.