Electric air taxi maker Archer hits back at Joby in countersuit alleging concealed Chinese ties

Archer Aviation, an electric air taxi developer, has filed a countersuit against rival Joby Aviation, accusing Joby of defrauding the U.S. government and competitors by misrepresenting itself as an American-made company while relying on a Chinese manufacturing subsidiary. Archer alleges that Joby sourced critical components from Chinese suppliers supported by the Chinese government and concealed these ties by misclassifying Chinese-origin aircraft materials as consumer goods to evade U.S. tariffs and oversight. This countersuit follows a previous lawsuit filed by Joby in November, accusing a former employee of stealing trade secrets to benefit Archer. Both companies, which went public in 2021 via SPAC mergers, compete in the electric air taxi market and defense applications. Archer’s complaint highlights Joby’s receipt of substantial U.S. government funding, including Air Force contracts, and its role in advancing President Trump’s 2025 executive order aimed at accelerating electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft development. Recently, both companies