Joby partners with Abu Dhabi for electric air taxi ecosystem
ABU DHABI: Joby Aviation, Inc. (NYSE:JOBY), a company developing all-electric aircrat for commercial passenger service, today announced it has signed a multilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Department of Municipalities and Transport - Abu Dhabi (DMT), the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (DED) and the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) that lays the groundwork for Joby to establish and scale air taxi services in Abu Dhabi and beyond.
The MOU, signed at the DRIFTX international thought-leadership and exhibition plaform in Abu Dhabi, demonstrates the breadth of support available to Joby as part of their participation in the Smart and Autonomous Vehicles Industry (SAVI) cluster and builds on Joby’s existing commitments to the UAE, which include the exclusive right to operate air taxi services in Dubai, which the company expects to start as early as next year. The agreement also unlocks the potential for inter-emirate air taxi services, for example between Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of DMT, commented on the agreement, saying: “Abu Dhabi aims to spearhead the advancement and implementation of the next era of advanced mobility solutions. Through the Emirate’s SAVI cluster and this visionary partnership with Joby, we are not only laying the foundation for cutingedge air taxi services but also shaping the future of transportation; igniting a journey where the sky is no longer the limit, but the beginning of endless possibilities. We look forward to seeing their innovative aircrats take-off from the UAE capital, offering the world a glimpse, through Abu Dhabi, of what the future of mobility looks like.”
Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of ADDED, said: “The development of an advanced industrial and manufacturing base is a core driver of Abu Dhabi’s ‘economic diversification 2.0’ agenda as outlined by the Abu Dhabi Industrial Strategy (ADIS), which is strengthening the Emirate’s position as the region’s most competitive industrial hub by increasing access to financing, enhancing ease of doing business, and atracting foreign direct investment. Smart and autonomous vehicles in particular are experiencing rapid growth, buoyed by the launch of the SAVI cluster, which leverages Abu Dhabi’s world-class infrastructure to scale the operations of global companies. Joby’s expansion into Abu Dhabi is a testament to the success of this strategy.”
Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “The MOU aligns seamlessly with our Tourism Strategy 2030, which underscores our steadfast commitment to fostering sustainable growth and strategic development in the travel and tourism sector.