Joby Aviation’s eVTOL air taxi model. (Source: Times of Central Asia capture)
Joby Aviation announced letter of intent to sell up to $250 million worth of eVTOL aircraft and services to Alatau Advance Air Group in Kazakhstan. Deal, backed by Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, aims to establish Kazakhstan first air taxi service beginning in Alatau City, a 340-square-mile smart city development, and metropolitan hub of Almaty. Agreement includes pre-delivery payments and collaboration on sourcing critical materials including titanium and rare earth metals from Kazakhstan for aircraft production. Partnership demonstrates international eVTOL market expansion and government commitment to advanced air mobility infrastructure.
Key Takeaways
Joby's Kazakhstan deal validates international eVTOL demand and secures critical materials access, directly benefiting TriFan 600 by demonstrating global AAM market expansion and smart city infrastructure investment.
Why This Matters
"• $250M letter of intent signals Kazakhstan commitment to becoming Central Asia first AAM hub with government regulatory support
• Partnership includes sourcing titanium and rare earth metals from Kazakhstan, addressing critical supply chain vulnerabilities for eVTOL manufacturing
• Ministry of AI & Digital Development commits to regulatory framework and vertiport infrastructure development in Almaty and Alatau City
• Geographic expansion into Central Asian market with Alatau City (340 sq mi smart city) as launch platform for regional air mobility
• Pre-delivery payments secured, reducing Joby capital risk while validating international demand beyond established Western markets"