Archer Completes Construction of High-Volume eVTOL Manufacturing Facility in GA

Electric power is revolutionizing absolutely every kind of vehicle that moves across land, water, or air. One of the most exciting of these innovations is eVTOL, which stands for electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft. These are a type of aircraft designed to take off, hover, and land vertically, using electric propulsion systems. Unlike traditional airplanes or helicopters, eVTOLs don’t require long runways to take off or land, making them ideal for urban or other environments where space is limited.

eVTOLs are often seen as a promising solution for urban air mobility (UAM), offering the potential to revolutionize transportation by providing fast, sustainable, and efficient travel in congested cities. Their electric motors make them more environmentally friendly compared to traditional aviation, as they produce lower emissions and less noise.

These aircraft are being developed for various applications, including air taxis, cargo delivery, and emergency response, and are expected to be part of the next generation of transportation, potentially easing traffic congestion and providing more direct routes across cities. America’s military is also looking into eVTOL usage in their operations.

Archer’s Midnight, an All-Electric eVTOL Aircraft Designed to Revolutionize Urban Air Mobility

Archer’s Midnight is an all-electric eVTOL (electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) aircraft designed to take off and land vertically, eliminating the need for runways and making it well-suited for use in tight urban spaces, such as rooftops or designated vertiports. This vertical take-off and landing capability allows it to offer a solution for short-distance travel, reducing the time spent in traffic and offering a faster way to navigate metropolitan areas.

The aircraft has a passenger capacity of four and is specifically designed for urban air mobility applications, such as air taxis. With a range of approximately 100 miles on a single charge, the Midnight can efficiently serve regional travel within cities and surrounding areas.

Archer Completes Construction of High-Volume Manufacturing Facility

Archer Aviation Inc. announced on December 19, 2024, that it has received the certificate of occupancy for its high-volume manufacturing facility, ARC, located at the Covington Municipal Airport in Georgia. This milestone marks a significant step towards the production of Archer’s Midnight aircraft.

Stellantis and Archer are finalizing an agreement in which Stellantis would work with Archer as its exclusive contract manufacturer to mass produce Archer’s Midnight eVTOL aircraft at this facility. Stellantis plans to contribute capital, advanced manufacturing technology, expertise and experienced personnel, with a goal of scaling the facility to 650 aircraft annually by 2030.

“The completion of this facility is a testament to the state of the industry—shifting from R&D into commercialization. With construction on ARC now complete, our team is focused on the start of production planned for early next year. From there, it’s all about execution and scaling. I’m incredibly proud of the Archer team and our partners for getting this done so fast and on budget and can’t wait to see our facility begin producing aircraft,” said Adam Goldstein, Archer’s founder and CEO.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to celebrate the completion of construction on Archer Aviation’s high-volume manufacturing facility, ARC. The ceremony was attended by a range of key local and industry leaders, including Covington Mayor Fleeta Baggett, State Representative Tim Fleming, Newton County Development President Serra Hall, Newton County Chamber President Debbie Harper, Covington City Manager Tres Thomas, Newton County Commissioner Lanier Sims, and Archer’s Vice President of Operations, Glen Burks.

In addition to these prominent figures, several local leaders, as well as team members from Archer and Stellantis, were present to commemorate the achievement.

The facility is not only leading electric aviation innovation, but contributing to the local economy by creating many valuable jobs to local residents, among many other economic benefits. Beyond economics, the aircraft’s electric motors are providing cleaner air, while fighting climate change.

“Supporting Archer’s electric aircraft growth with our deep manufacturing expertise is a great opportunity for the two companies,” said Stellantis Chief Manufacturing and Supply Chain Officer Arnaud Deboeuf. “Congratulations to the Archer team for this milestone. It is a significant step in our journey together as we take clean mobility to the sky.”

Archer Announces Partnership With Anduril to Develop Hybrid VTOL Military Aircraft; Raises An Additional $430M

On December 12, 2024, Anduril Industries Inc. and Archer Aviation Inc. announced an exclusive agreement to jointly develop a next-generation aircraft for defense applications. The first product of this partnership is planned to be a hybrid-propulsion, vertical-take-off-and-landing (VTOL) aircraft, which will target a potential program of record from the United States Department of Defense (DOD).

In addition, to support the development of Archer’s defense initiatives and other corporate purposes, the company raised $430 million in additional equity capital. This funding will strengthen Archer’s financial position and includes participation from existing strategic partners like Stellantis and United Airlines, along with new institutional investors such as Wellington Management and 2PointZero, a subsidiary of the UAE’s largest listed entity, IHC. This financial boost will help Archer continue advancing its plans, particularly in the defense sector.

In August, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) accepted the military airworthiness assessment of Archer’s Midnight aircraft, and Archer Aviation delivered its first Midnight aircraft to the US Air Force (USAF) to evaluate as part of its AFWERX Agility Prime contract valued at up to $142M.