FutureFlight
United Airlines Places $10 Million Down Payment on Archer eVTOL Air Taxis
United Airlines has reinforced its commitment to purchasing eVTOL air taxis from Archer Aviation with a $10 million down payment on 100 units of the initial production version of the aircraft.
Archer's eVTOL technology demonstrator, called Maker, is pictured on the runway at the company's test facility in California.
Archer's eVTOL technology demonstrator, called Maker, is pictured on the runway at the company's test flight facility in California. (Credit: Archer Aviation)

United Airlines has reinforced its commitment to purchasing eVTOL air taxis from Archer Aviation with a $10 million down payment on 100 units of the initial production version of the aircraft. The U.S. carrier, which is an investor in the California-based start-up, announced the deposit on August 10.

In February 2021, United Airlines signed a provisional agreement with Archer to purchase up to 200 of its four-passenger eVTOL aircraft in a deal valued at $1 billion, implying a price tag of $5 million per unit. Archer says the pre-delivery payment represents one of the first of its kind in the nascent eVTOL industry, with multiple manufacturers having announced provisional sales that appear not to be backed by any type of formal payment schedule or deposits. 

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