Archer, Stellantis to Display Midnight eVTOL at Paris Air Show

The companies said the Midnight aircraft will be the featured eVTOL aircraft at the show, with a prominent display spot at the center of the Air Mobility event. The show’s air mobility program assembling is aimed at bringing together people involved in the mobility sector for three days of discussions regarding the development of advanced air mobility and how it might affect the wider aerospace industry.   

Archer said its partnership with Stellantis, an automotive company, is unique and “will leverage each company’s respective strengths and competencies to bring the Midnight aircraft to market at scale.” Archer also said working with Stellantis and making use of the company’s manufacturing technology, employees, and capital will allow the startup to avoid hundreds of millions of dollars in expenses during the ramp-up to production. 

Separately, Archer CEO Adam Goldstein reportedly said the European Union Aviation Safety Agency’s certification rules are too strict and make it difficult to bring new eVTOL designs to market. 

The electric air taxi sector could fail as a result, he said according to an interview in the Financial Times. Archer has not responded to a request for comment. 

Archer has said it plans to begin operating its eVTOLs commercially in 2025 following test flights this year.