Archer Aviation, a developer of electric air taxis, has responded to a lawsuit from rival Joby Aviation with its own counterclaims. The counterclaim, filed in federal court, alleges that Joby defrauded the U.S. government and its competitors by falsely presenting itself as an American-made company.
According to Archer, Joby relied on a Chinese manufacturing subsidiary to source critical components from Chinese suppliers with support from the Chinese government. Archer further alleges that Joby tried to conceal its ties to China by misclassifying Chinese-origin aircraft materials as consumer goods to evade U.S. tariffs and foreign-influence oversight.
Joby, founded in Santa Cruz, California in 2009, maintains its corporate headquarters in the same city. The company also has facilities in other U.S. cities and operates internationally in Germany, Austria, Costa Rica, and Shenzhen, China.
In response to the counterclaim, Joby’s attorney, Alex Spiro, stated that the company does not respond to “nonsense” and referred to Archer’s legal issues and business operations as “invented nonsensical theories.” Joby sued Archer in November over allegations of trade secret theft, claiming that a former employee took trade secrets to Archer.
Both Joby and Archer went public in 2021 through mergers with special purpose acquisition companies. Both companies are developing electric air taxis and pursuing defense applications for their technology, leading to competition in overlapping markets.
Archer’s countersuit is notable for its reference to a recent executive order by President Trump, directing the U.S. Department of Transportation and FAA to accelerate the development of electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. Both companies applied to the program, now known as the Advanced Air Mobility and Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing Integration Pilot Program.
The complaint alleges that Joby has secured funding from the U.S. government, including U.S. Air Force contracts, positioning itself as a key player in President Trump’s efforts to integrate air taxis in the U.S. under his “Unleashing American Drone Dominance” Executive Order.
Recently, the DOT and FAA approved eight proposals for the pilot program across 26 states. Archer won approval for three proposals, while Joby secured five. The legal battle between Archer and Joby highlights the competitive landscape of the electric air taxi industry and the challenges of navigating international partnerships and government regulations.
