Ethiopian Airlines entered a groundbreaking agreement with Archer Aviation (NYSE: ACHR) to deploy Archer’s electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, Midnight.
This is under Archer’s recently announced “Launch Edition” program.
The deal, valued at up to $30 million, aims at establishing the country’s first electric air taxi network.
Archer will provide Ethiopian Airlines with a dedicated team of pilots, technicians, and engineers to support the launch phase, along with booking applications and back-end software for operations.
“This partnership with Archer Aviation marks an important step in bringing cutting-edge eVTOL technology to Ethiopia,” said Mesfin Tasew, Group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines.
“We are committed to pioneering advanced air mobility solutions that enhance connectivity and drive sustainable aviation in Africa.”
The collaboration also includes exploring broader use cases for Midnight, such as eco-tourism and short-haul regional flights, positioning Ethiopia at the forefront of green aviation innovation in Africa.
Archer CEO Adam Goldstein highlighted the significance of this partnership: “Africa presents an untapped opportunity in advanced air mobility, and I’m proud to be taking this step forward with Ethiopian Airlines.”
The announcement follows Archer’s February 2025 launch of the “Launch Edition” program, which aims to introduce scalable commercialisation of eVTOL aircraft in early adopter markets.
Ethiopian Airlines becomes the second partner in this program, after Abu Dhabi Aviation.
MG/as/APA