South Gwinnett News

A $118 million electric aircraft plant near Atlanta is in the works, creating the potential for up to 1,000 jobs in the area, according to a Nov. 14 report by Fox 5 Atlanta.

The company, California-based Archer Aviation, announced earlier this month it planned to build its facility near an airport in Covington, Georgia, taking into consideration the site's local workers, ability to conduct test flights, affordable construction, as well as highway, rail and air access, the report stated.

"Our eVTOL (electrical vehicle takeoff and landing) technology can transform how urban and rural communities live and commute and this factory can create pathways to highly skilled manufacturing jobs and other ladders of social and economic opportunity," Archer CEO, Adam Goldstein, said in a statement.

Archer Aviation is among a growing number of companies working to build electric air taxis, Fox 5 reported. The company hopes to build a battery-powered aircraft capable of vertical takeoff and landing with six propellers that can hold four passengers and a pilot.

Archer plans to offer short flights, especially in urban areas, prompting United Airlines to recently announce it plans to fly Archer aircraft from downtown Manhattan to United’s hub at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, cutting a trip that can take an hour by car in congested traffic to 10 minutes, according to Fox 5.

With a goal of earning Federal Aviation Administration certification by 2024, Archer said it wants to produce 650 aircraft per year at the Georgia site, with automotive firm Stellantis, owner of Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep and Ram, providing manufacturing and engineering support to increase production to 2,300 aircraft per year.