Article by Janene Case

Joby exploring new markets for its electric flying-taxi business.

According to founder JoeBen Bevirt, Britain’s dense concentration of large cities is ideal for vertical takeoff and landing craft. Additionally, an electric transportation option is attractive to British investment interests in sustainability.“The U.K. market is really spectacular,” Bevirt said in a London interview. “When you come here you can really feel the value of what a service like ours could mean for people being able to get around.” The five-seater eVTOL is the perfect solution for connecting cities like Bristol and Cambridge to London. With a target price point of $3 per passenger mile by 2026, a trip from Cambridge to the capital would cost around $120.

Joby will pursue approvals from the U.S. Federal Aviation, launching local flights first before seeking bilateral agreements with regulators in markets like the U.K. In a Twitter post Bevirt mentioned that Joby is joining British aerospace lobby ADS “to help support the successful launch of fast, clean and convenient air taxi services,” and has been working with the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority to establish a path toward type certification for its aircraft.

A planned range of 150 miles and a top speed of 200mph makes Joby’s eVTOL a solid competitor to the 100 mile range/200mph 5-seater model in development by Bristol-based Vertical Aerospace. Bevirt said his attention isn’t on rivals but “relentlessly is focused on our own execution.” Production of Joby’s first aircraft is planned for this year and an Uber-like service model is slated to begin in 2024.