Air taxis may still feel futuristic, but Joby Aviation is trying to make them…manufacturable.
Joby Aviation $JOBY ( ▲ 5.23% ) said Wednesday it plans to double its aircraft production capacity to four air taxis per month by 2027, as it ramps up spending on equipment, facilities, and headcount. The goal is to move from prototype-era pace to something that at least resembles scaled manufacturing.
From prototypes to production
To support the expansion, Joby said it’s finalizing a deeper manufacturing alliance with Toyota $TM ( ▲ 0.96% ) , one of its largest and longest-standing backers. Aircraft will be built in California and Ohio, signaling that Joby is laying the groundwork for a US-based production footprint rather than outsourcing overseas.
This is less about hitting eye-popping volumes and more about proving the company can reliably build certified aircraft at all. Four per month may not sound like much, but in the tightly regulated aviation world, consistency matters more than speed.
Toyota stays in the cockpit
Toyota’s role keeps growing. Earlier this year, the automaker invested another $250 million into Joby, on top of the $400 million it put in back in 2020. Beyond capital, Toyota has been expected to bring manufacturing discipline, supply-chain expertise, and production systems that Joby lacks as a startup.
For investors, this announcement is a reminder that Joby’s story is shifting from “can this fly?” to “can this scale?” The next few years will be less about demos and more about execution.