Against the backdrop of the iconic Mount Fuji, Joby Aviation, Inc. (Joby; NYSE:JOBY) in a partnership with Toyota that has been 7 years in the making, Joby’s VTOL aircraft took to the Japanese skies flying quietly under a low acoustic footprint without disturbing the serenity and tranquility of Mount Fuji. Toyota’s Higashi-Fuji Technical Center in Shizuoka, Japan hosted this historic event.
As we reported earlier, Joby has so far raised over a $1 billion in funding, including $500 million from Toyota.
Toyota brings more to the table than millions in funds. Toyota as a large automotive manufacturer, has knowledge in large-scale manufacturing, access to lower cost parts due to economy of scale, thousands of engineers, and a design team that can assist them in the critical components necessary for Joby’s VTOL aircraft. In 2023, Joby and Toyota entered a cooperative agreement and their engineers have been collaborating on the aircraft’s powertrain and actuators.
Regarding this historic flight, JoeBen Bevirt, Founder and CEO of Joby said:
“Our first overseas flight marks a significant milestone on our journey towards making clean air travel an everyday reality. We share Toyota’s vision for the future of mobility and are honored to have had the opportunity to present a glimpse of that future through our flight in Japan.”
Amongst those present at ceremonious flight, were Akio Toyoda, Chairman of Toyota Motor Corporation, as well as representatives of Japan’s Civil Aviation Bureau.
Hiroki Nakajima, executive vice president and chief technology officer of Toyota Motor Corporation elaborated on Toyota’s vision for the future of air transportation:
“Air mobility has the potential to change our ‘sense of distance and time,’ and open a future with the new option of air mobility that will further enrich the lives of many people. Toyota is committed to deepening our collaboration with Joby and we will continue to work together to realize our shared dreams.”
More Info:
Joby official website: click here
Joby’s press release: click here