Joby Aviation, a company developing electric air taxis for commercial passenger service, today announced the expansion of its site in Marina, California, which will double aircraft production capacity.
The site now spans some 435,500 square feet and will support the scale-up of commercial operations. Joby also expanded its flight test program with the addition of a new aircraft to its growing fleet.
“Reimagining urban mobility takes speed, scale, and precision manufacturing. Our expanded manufacturing footprint in both California and Ohio is preparing us to do just that,” said Eric Allison, chief product officer at Joby. Allison said the company celebrated the opening of the new facility with the flight of its sixth aircraft, which earned airworthiness certification within a week of completion.
The new manufacturing space is key as Joby gets ready to scale production and enter the market.
Joby designs, builds, and tests its aircraft in the U.S. Using tools like advanced data analytics and 3D printing, the company produces components that are lighter, stronger and more flexible. Joby plans to add hundreds of full-time jobs in California to support increased aircraft production.
The company manages nearly every aspect of its aircraft and air taxi service in-house, from design and manufacturing to pilot training and operations. The vertical integration helps speed development, ensure quality, and accelerate testing and certification, according to the company. It also lets Joby adapt its platform for other uses, like hybrid hydrogen-electric propulsion testing.
Toyota engineers are deeply integrated with the Joby team, providing counsel to support Joby’s work across design, manufacturing, and quality. Toyota also helps the Joby team optimize processes, streamline assembly, and offer advice related to the development of custom tooling to accelerate production. The automaker has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in Joby, which is a critical component of Toyota's efforts to transform into a mobility company.
Once fully operational, the Marina site is expected to produce up to 24 aircraft per year. It will also provide key capabilities, including initial FAA production certification, conforming ground and flight testing components, pilot training simulators, and aircraft maintenance.
The site strengthens Joby's broader manufacturing network, which includes three additional facilities: Santa Cruz, CA, the headquarters driving innovation and system architecture; San Carlos, CA, focused on powertrain and electronics; and Dayton, Ohio, a newly renovated facility that will manufacture and test aircraft components for Joby’s Pilot Production Line.
The Dayton site demonstrates the capabilities required for FAA production certification and supports the Company’s plans to scale operations. Equipment installation is underway, with production ramping up to eventually build up to 500 aircraft a year at that location.
In 2023, Joby was awarded a $9.8 million dollar grant from the California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development to accelerate its growth. The company also benefited from a program through the California State Treasurer’s Office, which helped reduce equipment costs by $10 million, supporting Joby’s efforts to scale today and build the future of flight for tomorrow.
