Japan Airlines has laid the groundwork to place a large order of electric-vehicle-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Together with the Sumitomo Corporation, the airline formed a joint venture known as the Soracle Corporation.
Soracle is set to create an advanced air mobility (AAM) operation in Japan, designed to offer air transportation to passengers within Japan’s largest cities. These cities include Tokyo, Osaka, Hokkaido and others.
Japan Airlines Flying Low
To build a fleet of air taxis, Soracle has placed a $500 million-dollar order with Archer Aviation. The order is for 100 of the company’s flagship aircraft, known as the “Midnight”.
The deal also requires Archer to work with the Japanese Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) to obtain the necessary certification for Archer’s aircraft to fly legally in Japan. Soracle will also work to obtain permits to legally own and operate the aircraft.
While the deal was made official on 7 November, the contract signing actually took place in September in Tokyo. Chief Commercial Officer Nikhil Goel and Senior Director of Strategy and Business Development Andrew Cummins represented Archer at the event.
Cummins shares his thoughts in a recent press release outlining the deal:
“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.”
Soracle Chief Executive Officer Yukihiro Ota also had remarked on the agreement:
“Through the operation of eVTOL aircraft, Soracle aims to enrich lives and society by creating more accessible air transportation services in Japan. We will provide safe and reliable services to passengers by making the most of the wealth of knowledge we have accumulated at Japan Airlines and Sumitomo Corporation.”
Archer and Soracle plan to conduct the first public flight at some point during World Expo in 2025.
About Archer Air Taxis
Founded in San Jose, California in 2018, Archer Aviation has been at the forefront of air taxi manufacturing and design. The company has previously reached a deal with United Airlines in 2021 involving the delivery of “hundreds” of aircraft for $1.5 billion.
Archer has also landed a deal with Southwest Airlines. Both airlines will use Midnight to fly passengers across Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York City as early as 2025.
Stellantis also invested $400 million into Archer to help the company produce up to 650 aircraft yearly. Stellantis is the automobile manufacturer that owns Jeep, Dodge, and many other brands.
Japan is seeing a bright future for air taxi services. Toyota Motors has pledged close to $1 billion into Joby Aviation towards the production and delivery of air taxis. Earlier this month, Toyota operated its first Joby test flight in Japan.
