Toyota's Flying Taxi Bet Is Getting Closer To Takeoff
Six years and five months since Toyota began financing Joby Aviation's Series C financing, the biggest name in the future of eVTOL development and their titanic partners from Japan are entering the mass production phase of their strategic partnership. In pairing the fastest-rising eVTOL developer with a leading light in automotive development, the global air taxi of tomorrow might be hovering in cities near you.
The Joby S4 six-engine tilt-rotor, arguably the most recognizable eVTOL concept in the world, remains in the final phases of flight testing across several global cities. Shareholder morale appears to be at an all-time high after the high-profile flight-dev phase neared its end, but the tricky process of transitioning to mass production is fraught with obstacles and hurdles where even the big names often struggle.
The crux of Joby's partnership with Toyota lies in its ability to manufacture S4 components at speeds and efficiencies that dwarf what the firm could manage by itself. Under the combined Joby Toyota Aero Manufacturing Preparation Company, the S4 gets the benefit of the iconic Toyota Production System manufacturing process baked in from the beginning. At specialized production facilities in San Carlos and Marina, California, the air taxis of the future will carry the same manufacturing philosophies that Toyota's ground taxis take for granted.
"Toyota has been by Joby's side for nearly a decade, providing invaluable guidance and support as we built the foundation for manufacturing our aircraft," said JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby Aviation. "Today's announcement reflects the strength of our relationship and our shared confidence in the opportunity ahead. Together, we share a vision of making aerial mobility an everyday reality, and we look forward to delivering on that promise together." For Toyota, it's a sentiment shared on its side as well.
"Since our founding, we've been guided by the philosophy of providing mobility for all. Over time, we've continued to expand what mobility can mean," said Akio Toyoda, Chairman of Toyota Corporation. "We see air mobility as a natural extension of that philosophy-from the ground into the sky-and as a way to bring new value to people's lives and to society." As of early July 2026, the Joby S4 is still trialing in cities like Dubai, New York, and San Francisco. The earliest projections for the clever air taxis to enter revenue service no earlier than late 2026 to early 2027.
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jul 2, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published July 2, 2026 at 3:01 PM.