Flying Taxi Startup Gets $10M to Expand in California

Electric air taxi company Joby Aviation has been awarded a $9.8 million grant to expand in California.

The California Competes grant, from the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), is aimed at helping finance a significant expansion of Joby’s facilities in Marina, California along with more hiring at the company’s other offices in San Carlos and Santa Cruz, California.

As part of the deal, Joby agreed to invest $41 million and create 690 additional full-time jobs in the state by 2027.

“We’re honored to receive a prestigious CalCompetes grant from our home state of California to support pilot training and the growth of our manufacturing facilities in advance of early operations,” said JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby. “Joby was founded in 2009, today employs more than 1,250 people across the state, and we’re thrilled to be able to keep growing in California as we deliver revolutionary emissions-free flight,” 

Joby recently flew an exhibition flight over New York City.

At that event, A heliport infrastructure for eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) vehicles in New York City was announced at a news conference at the Downtown Heliport in Manhattan.

The electric aerial vehicle company (EAV) also had its vehicle hover in front of a media crowd.

Related:Electric Air Taxi Flies Over New York City; New Heliport Coming

Electric air taxi company Joby Aviation has been awarded a $9.8 million grant to expand in California.

The California Competes grant, from the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), is aimed at helping finance a significant expansion of Joby’s facilities in Marina, California along with more hiring at the company’s other offices in San Carlos and Santa Cruz, California.

As part of the deal, Joby agreed to invest $41 million and create 690 additional full-time jobs in the state by 2027.

“We’re honored to receive a prestigious CalCompetes grant from our home state of California to support pilot training and the growth of our manufacturing facilities in advance of early operations,” said JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby. “Joby was founded in 2009, today employs more than 1,250 people across the state, and we’re thrilled to be able to keep growing in California as we deliver revolutionary emissions-free flight,” 

Joby recently flew an exhibition flight over New York City.

At that event, A heliport infrastructure for eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) vehicles in New York City was announced at a news conference at the Downtown Heliport in Manhattan.

The electric aerial vehicle company (EAV) also had its vehicle hover in front of a media crowd.

Related:Electric Air Taxi Flown by Pilots; Flyshare Network Planned

Joby has a partnership with Delta Air Lines with New York as one of its early launch markets once approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). 

The Joby four-passenger electric aerial vehicle (EAV) is designed for rapid, back-to-back flights and can fly up to 100 miles on a single charge.

Traveling from Manhattan to JFK Airport can be done in seven minutes, according to the company. 

Since 2017, Joby has flown more than 30,000 miles with its full-scale prototype EAV, according to the company.

Bevirt said Joby has been working on its electric flying vehicles for more than a decade.

The Joby commercial passenger service is planned for 2025.

After months of test flying its EAV remotely, Joby recently added pilots to the mix. Most of Joby’s EAVs had been piloted remotely from a ground control station.

Joby recently delivered the first eVTOL vehicle to the Air Force at the Edwards Air Force Base in California, believed to be the first eVTOL taxi delivered in the U.S. as part of a $131 million contract between the Department of Defense and Joby.

Joby recently selected Dayton, Ohio, as the location to build facilities to deliver up to 500 flying vehicles a year.

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