Japan Airlines & Sumitomo launch joint venture for aerial taxis in Japan

Japan Airlines and Sumitomo have launched a new joint venture named Soracle to offer electric VTOL rides in major Japanese cities. The joint venture is kicking off its electric aircraft fleet with the purchase of 100 Archer Midnight.

archer aviation soracle japan airlines vtol — Image: Archer Aviation

Soracle, a newly established joint venture between Japan Airlines and Sumitomo, plans to offer electric air taxi services in Japanese cities by purchasing up to 100 Midnight electric air taxis from Stellantis-backed Californian provider Archer Aviation, with a total value of approximately USD 500 million.

The newly formed joint venture Soracle has announced plans to develop a variety of flight routes in “attractive areas for residents as well as domestic and international visitors.” Route locations could include places like Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Hokkaido, Setouchi and Okinawa, and the company has issued the eventual aim of establishing a full transportation network.

Archer and Soracle have announced plans to closely work with the Japanese Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) to obtain the necessary permissions and certifications. Archer and JCAB have already begun discussions and Archer intends to work to certify our aircraft in Japan.

“Japan is widely respected for its forward thinking approach to transportation and this investment into advanced air mobility is yet another example of that,” said Andrew Cummins, Senior Director of Business Development at Archer. “We’re proud to stand with Soracle ahead of this new era of flight—together, we are committed to bringing an innovative, sustainable and convenient transportation alternative to the country.”

archer.com

1 Comment

about „Japan Airlines & Sumitomo launch joint venture for aerial taxis in Japan“

JohnH

11.11.2024 um 10:17

How on earth is a USD5m plane viable as an 'air taxi'? A properly trained pilot will cost considerably more than a motor taxi driver, finding a viable site in the centre of any city will be a cost and logistics nightmare, plus the infrastructure and time needed to charge these taxis will require huge investment. And look out when the first taxi crashes into a building. This assumes the vehicles actually work as designed. There is a very high end market for these vehicles as air limousines, but fantasies about picking up one like an Uber are for the birds.