Joby Aviation and Virgin Atlantic partner to launch electric air taxis in the UK

Joby Aviation is partnering with Virgin Atlantic to launch electric air taxis in the U.K., marking the seventh country in which the startup hopes to one day commercialize. Joby, which went public in 2021 via special purpose acquisition merger, did not provide a timeline for when it plans to launch its partnership with Virgin in the U.K. A spokesperson for the company told TechCrunch it would come sometime after Joby launches in the UAE and the U.S. Joby hopes to begin market testing in Dubai late this year or early next after delivering its first eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft to the country. The startup had also planned to launch a commercial service in the U.S., either in New York or Los Angeles, in 2025, but that timeline may get pushed out as Joby works to get the necessary certifications from the Federal Aviation Administration. In October 2024, Joby said it was close to receiving type certification — which signifies the approval of the vehicle’s design ... Read full article.