Japan’s ANA plans to produce electric-powered flying taxis with U.S. aviation startup

TOKYO, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) — Japan’s ANA Holdings Inc. will partner with U.S. startup Joby Aviation Inc. with the aim of launching air taxi services here, both companies said Tuesday.

ANA said it plans for the air taxis to be operational to coincide with the 2025 World Exposition in Osaka, western Japan.

In a joint press release, ANA Holdings Inc., the parent company of All Nippon Airways Co., and Joby Aviation Inc. said they will collaborate on numerous areas of the joint venture, including infrastructure development, flight operations, traffic management and pilot training.

“Being able to provide our customers with the option to travel rapidly and sustainably from an international airport to a downtown location is very appealing,” ANA Holdings Executive Vice President Koji Shibata said in the press release.

ANA is the second Japanese firm to partner with Joby Aviation, following Toyota Motor Corp. saying it invested 394 million U.S. dollars in the U.S. electric aircraft manufacturer in 2020.

For Toyota’s part, it will share its know-how in manufacturing cars and electrification knowledge with Joby Aviation, aiming to mass-produce an electric aircraft, according to local media reports.

Joby Aviation has said it plans to get its own airborne taxi service launched in 2024 and has been developing a fully-electric flying taxi that can carry five people including the pilot.

The aerial vehicle will be able to take off and land vertically, will have a range of 241 kilometres and will be capable of reaching speeds of around 320 km per hour, Joby Aviation said.

Along with airborne taxi services, the Japanese government, who has been pushing for such technology to be developed here for some time, said the aerial vehicles could also be used for transporting goods to hard-to-reach places like remote mountainous areas.

It also said that beyond the vehicles’ main commercial operations, the next-generation flying electric taxis could be used in disaster relief situations.

Also Read

Saudi-led coalition strikes telecoms building in Yemen’s capital: Houthi TV

SANAA, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Saudi-led coalition has launched three airstrikes...