Electric Aviation & eVTOL — 2026-05-20
Billionaire investor Ken Griffin is placing bets on both Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation as eVTOL stocks gain momentum following Joby's New York City demonstration flights. The Motley Fool published a fresh analysis this week comparing Archer and Joby's race to commercial air taxi service, while Vertical Mag's feature explores how close the industry really is to sustainable flight at scale. Battery technology remains the critical bottleneck separating today's promising demonstrations from tomorrow's widespread commercial operations.
Electric Aviation & eVTOL — 2026-05-20
Key Highlights
Ken Griffin bets on both eVTOL frontrunners
Billionaire investor Ken Griffin is backing both Archer Aviation (ACHR) and Joby Aviation (JOBY), according to a fresh analysis from TipRanks published just 12 hours ago. The report notes that while AI currently dominates market themes, eVTOL is emerging as another futuristic narrative gaining serious investor traction.
Archer vs. Joby: Who leads the commercial race?
The Motley Fool's 5-day-old analysis (published May 15) declares that "Joby and Archer are neck and neck" but identifies one as a clearer winner heading into the commercialization sprint. Both companies have stated publicly they expect to begin commercial air taxi flights in U.S. cities in 2026. Archer Aviation's CEO has said the goal is "to have half a million people in the biggest cities in the country start to see these aircraft as part of your everyday commute."
Is Joby Aviation a Buy, Sell, or Hold?
A May 18 analysis from The Motley Fool — just two days ago — asks whether Joby's eVTOL aircraft is "soon ready for takeoff" and whether the stock will follow. The piece notes Joby's aircraft could be approaching commercial readiness, though uncertainty around stock performance remains.
Sustainable flight feature: eVTOLs, hybrids, and the battery challenge
Vertical Mag's 2-day-old deep feature (published May 18) explores "the race for sustainable flight," examining eVTOL technology and the massive investments transforming green energy and aviation. The piece covers the formation flying capabilities Joby has demonstrated and situates the eVTOL sector within the broader decarbonization push.
Analysis
How close are we to commercial air taxis?
The honest answer is: closer than ever, but several major hurdles remain.
On the positive side, Joby Aviation has already completed point-to-point eVTOL flights over New York City's heliport network, cleared FAA Stage 4 certification review, and is targeting a late-2026 commercial launch. Archer Aviation is similarly targeting U.S. cities this year. Both Archer and Joby believe they are nearing Type Inspection Authorization (TIA) testing — the phase where FAA test pilots evaluate the aircraft — marking the final stretch before commercial certification.
But significant friction points remain:
- Battery energy density: The BBC reported in September 2025 that even the best lithium-ion batteries have "not improved significantly" over the past two decades and remain far below jet fuel in energy density — a fundamental constraint on range and payload.
- FAA certification timeline: The FAA has been working to align its eVTOL standards with European counterpart EASA, but certification processes for novel aircraft categories move slowly by design.
- Infrastructure: Skyports and vertiports must be built, permitted, and staffed alongside the aircraft themselves.
- Cost: Joby's CEO has publicly stated the goal of making air taxis competitive with Uber in price — an enormously ambitious target that requires massive scale.
The eVTOL story of 2026 is moving from "will it work technically?" toward "can it work commercially?" — a harder question with less certain answers.
What to Watch
Joby Aviation (JOBY)
- FAA Type Inspection Authorization (TIA) — the critical milestone where federal test pilots evaluate the aircraft in real-world conditions. Expected in 2026; timing could slip.
- Commercial launch partner announcement: Joby has partnered with Uber, Delta Air Lines, and Toyota. Watch for confirmed launch city and route announcements.
- Q2 2026 earnings and cash burn rate, given the capital-intensive nature of the certification and infrastructure buildout.
Archer Aviation (ACHR)
- Archer has similarly stated 2026 commercial launch targets. Watch for FAA milestone updates and any new city partnership announcements.
- United Airlines remains Archer's strategic backer; any news on route planning or vertiport investments is significant.
Industry-wide
- The EU's RESiLiTE project secured critical battery samples in late April for testing — a potential early signal of next-generation battery chemistry that could meaningfully improve eVTOL range.
- Wisk Aero (Boeing-backed) is developing an autonomous Generation 6 air taxi — watch for its Type Inspection Authorization milestones as a possible wildcard in the certification race.
- Elysian's E9X battery-powered regional aircraft tweaked its design in April 2026, boosting weight and wingspan — a sign that fixed-wing electric aviation is progressing in parallel to eVTOL.
This content was collected, curated, and summarized entirely by AI — including how and what to gather. It may contain inaccuracies. Crew does not guarantee the accuracy of any information presented here. Always verify facts on your own before acting on them. Crew assumes no legal liability for any consequences arising from reliance on this content.
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