CHICAGO, Feb. 10, 2021 — United to buy 200 eVTOL aircraft from Archer. an electric VTOL manufacturing and mobility company. United Airlines announced that they are working with electric vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft manufacturer Archer as part of its broader effort to invest in emerging technologies that decarbonize air travel. Archer’s electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft are designed to use electric motors and have the potential for future use as an ‘air taxi’ in urban markets.
As per eVTOL news, Archer is developing multiple models of all-electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft for improving urban mobility. The company was launched in May 2020 with a facility adjacent to the Palo Alto Airport (in the San Francisco Bay Area, USA). Archer is “dedicated to reshaping urban air mobility, focusing on saving time for users in urban areas.” The company is led by co-founders Brett Adcock and Adam Goldstein, serial entrepreneurs who recently sold marketplace startup Vettery to The Adecco Group for over $100M.
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United to buy 200 eVTOL aircraft from Archer
Under the terms of the agreement, United will contribute its expertise in airspace management to assist Archer with the development of battery-powered, short-haul aircraft. Once the aircraft is in operation and have met United’s operating and business requirements, United, together with Mesa Airlines, would acquire a fleet of up to 200 of these electric aircraft that would be operated by a partner and are expected to give customers a quick, economical and low-carbon way to get to United’s hub airports and commute in dense urban environments within the next five years.
The airline was an early-stage investor in Fulcrum BioEnergy and recently partnered with 1PointFive, a joint venture between Oxy Low Carbon Ventures and Rusheen Capital, to jumpstart the establishment of direct air capture and sequestration technology.
“Part of how United will combat global warming is by embracing emerging technologies that decarbonize air travel. By working with Archer, United is showing the aviation industry that now is the time to embrace a cleaner, more efficient modes of transportation. With the right technology, we can curb the impact aircraft have on the planet, but we have to identify the next generation of companies who will make this a reality early and find ways to help them get off the ground,” said United CEO Scott Kirby.
“Archer’s eVTOL design, manufacturing model and engineering expertise has the clear potential to change how people commute within major metropolitan cities all over the world.”
Archers aircraft are designed to travel at a speed of 150 miles per hour for a distance of 60 miles with today’s technology and can be improved further in the future. United estimates that using Archer’s eVTOL aircraft could reduce CO2 emissions by 47% per passenger on a trip between Hollywood and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), one of the initial cities where Archer plans to launch its fleet.
Archer plans to unveil its full-scale eVTOL aircraft in 2021, begin aircraft production in 2023, and launch consumer flights in 2024.
“We couldn’t be happier to be working with an established global player like United,” said Brett Adcock, co-CEO and co-Founder of Archer. “This deal represents so much more than just a commercial agreement for our aircraft, but rather the start of a relationship that we believe will accelerate our timeline to market as a result of United’s strategic guidance around FAA certification, operations, and maintenance.”
Adam Goldstein, co-CEO and co-Founder of Archer added “the team at United share our vision of a more sustainable future. We’re working closely with their test pilots and environmental teams to make sustainable urban air mobility a reality far sooner than people could ever imagine.”
United Airlines said they are committed to the environment and in 2020 pledged to become 100% green by 2050 by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Also, they were the first airlines to announce a commitment to invest in Direct Air Capture technology by partnering with 1PointFive, a joint venture between Oxy Low Carbon Ventures and Rusheen Capital.
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