Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) and Joby Aviation (Joby) have partnered at Toyota’s Higashi-Fuji Technical Center in Shizuoka, Japan to complete the first Joby eVTOL flight outside the USA.
“Toyota has now invested in Joby on multiple occasions, but more importantly, they’ve stood next to us in our facilities,” said JoeBen Bevirt, Founder and CEO of Joby, at the first flight event. “They’ve helped us design tools. They’ve advised us on the layout of our factories. They even provide parts that go in the aircraft. And they’ve been the very best supporters we could wish for. We’re incredibly lucky to be able to draw on their experience and knowledge and it is hard to understate how important they have been to our success. Our ambition isn’t small. We want to change the world and we want to change the way people live and travel
“We plan to start commercial passenger operations as soon as next year and we’re working with an incredible set of global partners, including Uber, Delta Air Lines and ANA, here in Japan,” he continued. “We’ve already applied to the JCAB, the Japanese regulator, to have our aircraft certified here and we’re confident that there’s a significant opportunity for us to provide clean, quiet and fast journeys in Japan. And… to give residents and visitors a new perspective on the phenomenal physical beauty of this great country.”
Said Akio Toyoda, the chairman of the Toyota Group: “We are here today to celebrate Joby’s successful exhibition flight earlier this week, their first time to fly the air taxi eVTOL outside the United States. The dream that Joby and Toyota have envisioned for air mobility is finally coming close to fruition. We hope that you will be able to experience a part of this dream by learning about this aircraft at this event today.”
JoeBen Bevirt, Founder and CEO of Joby (left), Akio Toyoda, Chairman of Toyota Motor Corporation (right)
For more information
https://global.toyota/en/newsroom/corporate/41788284.html