Joby Aviation, a US company developing electric air taxis for commercial passenger service, has closed the first $250 million tranche of a previously announced strategic investment from Toyota Motor Corporation. The funding marks a significant milestone in strengthening the long-term collaboration between the two companies and supports their shared vision for the future of air mobility.

The investment is aimed at supporting certification and commercial production of Joby's electric air taxi. This underscores the mutual commitment to deepening integration and delivering next generation travel to global markets. This investment also puts the two companies a step closer toward a strategic manufacturing alliance.

“We're already seeing the benefit of working with Toyota in streamlining manufacturing processes and optimising design,” says JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby. “This is an important next step in our alliance with Toyota to scale the promise of electric flight. With this capital and Toyota's legendary production expertise, we're enhancing our ability to scale cutting-edge design and manufacturing to meet the demands of our partners and customers.”

“This milestone further cements the collaboration and alignment between our two companies,” adds Tetsuo Ogawa, CEO of Toyota North America. “Our investment in Joby reflects our shared dream of mobility for all and our commitment to achieving a future of air mobility.”