MARINA >> Joby Aviation has announced the closing of the first portion of $250 million from a previously announced strategic investment from Toyota Motor Corporation, marking a milestone in strengthening the long-term collaboration between the two companies according to Joby.

“We’re already seeing the benefit of working with Toyota in streamlining manufacturing processes and optimizing design,” said JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby in a press release. “This is an important next step in our alliance with Toyota to scale the promise of electric flight. With this capital and Toyota’s legendary production expertise, we’re enhancing our ability to scale cutting-edge design and manufacturing to meet the demands of our partners and customers.”

Last October, Toyota said it would invest another $500 million in Joby Aviation to support the certification and commercial production of Joby’s electric air taxi, including in Marina where Joby is expanding its pilot production facility.

“This milestone further cements the collaboration and alignment between our two companies,” said Tetsuo “Ted” Ogawa, CEO of Toyota North America, in the release. “Our investment in Joby reflects our shared dream of mobility for all and our commitment to achieving a future of air mobility.”

Joby Aviation has been doing business in Marina for about seven years and is developing an all-electric, vertical take-off and landing air taxi designed to carry a pilot and up to four passengers at speeds up to 200 mph, offering high-speed mobility with a fraction of the noise produced by helicopters and zero operating emissions.

The investment is aimed at supporting certification and commercial production of Joby’s electric air taxi. The investment also puts the two companies a step closer toward a strategic manufacturing alliance.

Toyota has been working with Joby since 2019, during which time it has offered expertise in Toyota’s production system helping the aircraft maker in its process planning, manufacturing and design.

In 2023, the two companies signed a long-term agreement for Toyota to supply key powertrain and actuation components for the production of Joby’s aircraft.

The investment brings Toyota Motor Corporation’s total investment in Joby to $894 million.

In April 2024, with the second production prototype aircraft to roll off its pilot production line as a backdrop, Joby broke ground on its new 220,000-square-foot manufacturing facility at the Marina Municipal Airport. It is nearing completion and is set to be handed over to the Joby team next month. The new building more than doubles Joby’s manufacturing footprint in Marina and will also house an expanded pilot training and flight simulation center as well as aircraft maintenance facilities designed to support the scaling of its commercial operations.

Earlier this month, the company said the fifth aircraft to be produced on Joby’s pilot manufacturing line in Marina has been powered on and is undergoing final functional checks, ahead of beginning flight testing. It will become the sixth aircraft in its active flight test program, which includes two aircraft stationed at Edwards Air Force Base where they are completing testing in conjunction with the company’s defense partners.

The Marina facility is one of three in California with others at Santa Cruz — where the company is headquartered — and San Carlos which supports additional engineering and operational activities. Joby Aviation also has a facility in Munich where it focuses on roles such as process engineering, manufacturing engineering, quality inspection and computer numerical control operations.

In September 2023, Joby Aviation chose Dayton, Ohio, as the site for its new manufacturing plant.

Earlier this month, Bevirt said that with six aircraft in the Joby test fleet, flying multiple aircraft at a time will play an important role in accelerating its certification testing and supporting plans to carry passengers for the first time next year.