Stellantis has announced its increased investment in Archer, a company that promises to launch electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft from 2025, with the purchase of approximately 8.3 million shares.
Stellantis’ increased investment in Archer follows CEO Carlos Tavares’ recent visit to Archer’s headquarters and production facilities in Santa Clara, California.
It is worth noting that in January 2023, Stellantis announced its goal for the company to mass-produce Archer’s Midnight aircraft as its exclusive contracted manufacturer, allowing the American company to strengthen its path to commercialization, helping it avoid hundreds of millions of dollars in expenses.
In a statement, Stellantis states that « the construction of the first phase of Archer’s high-volume manufacturing facilities in the state of Georgia, USA, remains on track for completion by the end of the current year. The first phase includes the construction of approximately 32,116 m2 on a plot of about 40.5 hectares, a structure designed for the production of up to 650 aircraft per year ».
L’avion Midnight d’Archer a été conçu pour être sûr, durable, silencieux et transporter quatre passagers et un pilote. Le Midnight est optimisé pour des trajets courts consécutifs d’environ 32 à 80 kilomètres, avec un temps de charge d’environ 10 minutes entre eux.
« Archer s’est imposé comme leader du marché de l’électrification de l’aviation et nous croyons que ensemble nous pouvons inaugurer la prochaine révolution dans les transports », a déclaré Carlos Tavares, PDG de Stellantis.
