Archer and Fiat Chrysler pursue high-volume, composite eVTOL production

It was reported on Jan. 12 that Archer (Palo Alto, Calif., U.S.) and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA, London, U.K.) have entered into a definitive agreement to enable Archer to benefit from access to FCA’s low-cost supply chain, advanced composite material capabilities and engineering and design experience to complete its first all-electric airline, meant to move people throughout the world's cities in a quick, safe, sustainable and cost-effective manner.

The new partnership, according to Archer, will also accelerate the company’s timeline in becoming an industry leader with the resources and capabilities to capitalize on the new era of sustainable air mobility, a market that Morgan Stanley estimates will be $1.5 trillion by 2040.

“Electrification within the transportation sector, whether on roads or in the air, is the future and with any new and rapidly developing technology, scale is important,” says Doug Ostermann, vice president and head of global business development of FCA. “Our partnership with Archer has mutual benefits and will enable innovative, environmentally friendly transportation solutions to be brought to market at an accelerated pace.”
 
To make headway with its airliner goal, Archer will manufacture high-volume, composite electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, with the intent of unveiling in early 2021 and starting production in 2023. FCA, the parent company of established automobile brands including Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram, has already collaborated on cockpit design elements. Archer reports that its new eVTOL craft will be capable of traveling distances of up to 60 miles at 150 miles per hour. Through this announced collaboration, the companies will work together to significantly decrease the cost of production, enabling Archer to bring affordably-priced service to customers via its ultra-quiet, high-performance eVTOL aircraft.
 
“We've been hyper-focused on a customer-first approach to vehicle design and aircraft operations,” says Brett Adcock, co-founder and co-CEO of Archer. “Now we are working with a seasoned, industry-leading automotive partner to leverage cost benefits and experience that will allow Archer to produce thousands of aircraft reliably and affordably every single year."
 
“This is a first-of-its-kind deal for one of Detroit’s Big Three automakers in moving into the urban air mobility space,” says Adam Goldstein, co-founder and co-CEO of Archer. “There is now a clear path for Archer to bring mass production to this industry, changing the way people travel in and around cities forever.”