Ethiopian Airlines is first African airline to move towards electric air taxis
In an attempt to keep pace with the global developments in green mobility and to emerge as the pioneer of electric air taxi services in Africa, Ethiopian Airlines, the national carrier of Ethiopia, has announced an argeement with American green mobility firm Archer Aviation.
In a press statement, Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s largest carrier and Star Alliance member, says that it has signed an agreement, valued at about USD 30 million, with Archer to deploy an initial fleet of Midnight aircraft, under Archer’s “Launch Edition” programme.
The statement adds that the two companies will work together to over time build an air taxi network in the region, with Archer planning to provide Ethiopian Airlines with a team of pilots, technicians, and engineers to support the initial deployment of these early launch edition Midnight aircraft in Ethiopia.
While the two companies will primarily focus on developing an air taxi network in the region, they will also explore other use cases, including eco-tourism.
Archer had announced the Launch Edition Programme in February in an effort to create a scalable commercialization framework for safely deploying aircraft in early adopter markets, enabling the company to demonstrate the capabilities of its Midnight aircraft, drive public acceptance, build operational experience and generate early revenue.
Archer says it plans to deploy an initial fleet of Midnight “Launch Edition” aircraft to Ethiopian Airlines with a team of Archer pilots, technicians and engineers to support this initial deployment. Archer also plans to provide backend software infrastructure and front-end booking applications to help power urban air mobility operations during the Launch Edition programme.
While Archer and Ethiopian Airlines will primarily focus on developing an air taxi network in the region using Midnight, the two are also exploring using Midnight for a broader range of use cases, including eco-tourism.
Archer and Ethiopian Airlines formalised this partnership during a signing ceremony this week in Addis Ababa. The two will continue working with the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority (ECAA) to efficiently and safely operationalize Midnight.
Mesfin Tasew
“We are committed to pioneering advanced air mobility solutions that enhance connectivity and drive sustainable aviation in Africa. Our partnership with Archer Aviation marks an important step in bringing cutting-edge eVTOL technology to Ethiopia. Together, we aim to redefine regional travel and create new opportunities for efficient, eco-friendly transportation,” says Mesfin Tasew, Group CEO, Ethiopian Airlines.
“Last month we announced Abu Dhabi Aviation as our first Launch Edition customer, today we are following that up with our second, Ethiopian Airlines. Africa presents an untapped opportunity with regards to advanced air mobility, with a variety of compelling use cases that we will be exploring together, and I am proud to be taking a big step forward here alongside Ethiopian Airlines,” says Adam Goldstein, Founder and CEO, Archer Aviation.
Adam Goldstein
“This partnership with Ethiopian Airlines represents a transformative step in bringing sustainable and efficient air mobility solutions to Ethiopia and the broader African market. At Archer, we are committed to working with forward-thinking partners to unlock the potential of eVTOL technology to support the economic growth of Ethiopia. This is just the beginning of a new era of aviation for Africa,” says Alastir Curtis, General Manager, Africa, Archer Aviation.
Archer says its goal is to transform urban travel, replacing 60–90-minute commutes by car with estimated 10–20-minute electric air taxi flights that are safe, sustainable, low-noise and cost-competitive with ground transportation. Archer’s Midnight is a piloted, four-passenger aircraft designed to perform rapid back-to-back trips with minimal charge time between flights.
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