Joby and Archer Aviation Are Falling Just as Air Taxis Near Reality

Top electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) companies like Joby Aviation (NYSE:JOBY)/a> and Archer Aviation (NYSE:ACHR)/a> have struggled this year even as their commercialization plans advance. Joby is down 50% year to date and 67% from its all-time high, while Archer has fallen 25% year to date and 61% from its own record high./p> figure class="wp-block-image size-large">img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="567" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/06144734/ACHR-vs-JOBY-1024x567.png" alt="ACHR vs JOBY" class="wp-image-1632944" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/06144734/ACHR-vs-JOBY-1024x567.png 1024w, https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/06144734/ACHR-vs-JOBY-300x166.png 300w, https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/06144734/ACHR-vs-JOBY-768x425.png 768w, https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/06144734/ACHR-vs-JOBY-1536x851.png 1536w, https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/06144734/ACHR-vs-JOBY-2048x1134.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />figcaption class="wp-element-caption">JOBY vs ACHR stocks chart | Source: TradingView/figcaption>

Archer and Joby Aviation Have Made Progress

The two companies have come under pressure this year, despite making some major advances towards their commercialization. In its recent earnings, Joby said that it was in the fifth and final stage of its FAA type certification. As part of this progress, the company has five aircraft flying and 12 more in production, a process that will increase in the coming months. /p> div class="bz-read-next-block" data-variant="list" data-news-mode="manual" >

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Joby has done a lot of groundwork ahead of its commercialization. It has inked a major deal with Toyota (NYSE:TM)/a>, which is helping it with manufacturing. It also acquired Blade Aerospace, a leading player in the helicopter industry and reached deals with companies like Uber, Delta Air Lines, ANA, and US Department of Defense.

Archer Aviation has also made a lot of progress, with the management expecting its commercialization to happen in the next few months. It has inked deals with Stellantis, Anduril, United Airlines, and EDGE Group.

Most recently, the company diversified its business into the booming defense sector by acquiring Wisk Aero, Insitu, and SkyGrid from Boeing (NYSE:BA)/a>. As part of the transaction, Boeing took an equity stake in the company.

JOBY and ACHR Short Interest Remains High

Still, despite this progress, Archer and Joby Aviation stocks remains under pressure, with their short interest being in the double digits. Archer has a short interest of 11.45%, while Joby has 15%. These are big numbers, a sign that some investors expect them to continue falling in the near term.

One of the key risks is that these companies will likely need to raise cash ahead and after their commercialization. Joby has boosted its outstanding shares from 604 million in 2022 to 986 million today. Similarly, Archer’s outstanding shares have soared from 162 million in 2022 to 770 million.

There is also a risk of their business models, which is largely untested since the eVTOL industry is new one. It is still unclear whether these companies will become profitable in the future. /p> div class="bz-read-next-block" data-variant="list" data-news-mode="manual" >

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