Regulations and Government
Archer Countersuit Targets Joby’s eVTOL Supply Chain
Filing alleges mislabeled imports and Chinese Communist Party ties
Joby Aviation eVTOL aircraft
Joby Aviation has denied accusations by its rival Archer that it has covered up the use of Chinese-made parts for its eVTOL aircraft.

Archer Aviation has accused its rival Joby Aviation of misleading the U.S. government, investors, and the public over its alleged reliance on Chinese manufacturing for its eVTOL aircraft. In a counterfiling against Joby’s lawsuit accusing Archer of industrial espionage, Archer on Monday alleged that Joby has fraudulently misclassified Chinese-origin aircraft parts.

According to Archer, Joby has concealed its connections to Chinese businesses with links to the Chinese Communist Party in order to avoid “national-security scrutiny” in the U.S. The counterclaim accuses Joby of misrepresenting itself as an “American-made aviation company” in order to benefit from U.S. government support, including Air Force contracts and inclusion in the eVTOL Integration Pilot Program announced on March 9.