Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Lt. Governor Jon Husted, Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik, and JobsOhio President and CEO J.P. Nauseef announced on Monday that Joby Aviation Inc. plans to build an electric air taxi manufacturing facility in the state.
According to the press release, the company will build the facility at the Dayton International Airport and anticipates the project to create 2,000 new jobs in the area.
The new assembly-line manufacturing facility will develop, test, and operate all-electric, eVTOL air taxis primarily employed for commercial passenger operations. The aircraft, which can carry a pilot and four passengers, will reach speeds of up to 200 mph over a range of 100 miles. The company intends to fly the planes as a part of global networks for airborne ride-sharing in towns and cities.
DeWine said that this project continues Ohio’s legacy in aviation leadership.
“Ohio’s legacy in aviation leadership begins with the Wright Brothers and continues now with Joby Aviation, as they launch a new era in advanced aviation manufacturing and aerial mobility in Dayton. The aircraft that will roll off Joby Ohio’s production lines will redefine urban transportation and contribute to a transformational change in the way people and goods travel. We welcome Joby and celebrate the new chapter of air mobility history that will be made here in Ohio, the Heart of Aviation and Aerospace,” DeWine said.
The 140-acre site at the Dayton International Airport will get at least $477.5 million in investment from Joby Ohio, which intends to construct up to 500 aircraft annually. The facility is scheduled to open in 2025, with construction slated to start the following year. The company will operate out of the current surrounding buildings in the interim. The company’s total new payroll is anticipated to exceed $140 million.
According to JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby Aviation, the company is excited to grow Ohio’s leadership in aviation and ensure the U.S. continues to lead the way in delivering quiet, emissions-free flights.
“Ohio has a long, rich history in aviation, and we’re proud to bring the next chapter of that story to life in the place where it all started. As one of the top states in the country for aviation manufacturing and innovation, Ohio will play an important role in the future of our industry, and we’re looking forward to growing our team here,” Bevirt said.
According to the press release, DeWine, Husted, Mihalik, and Nauseef anticipate investment in Joby Aviation’s Ohio production facility to substantially impact economic growth in Ohio and the rest of the United States. By 2045, the new facility’s potential to attract more advanced air mobility prospects to Ohio may have a cumulative economic impact of $13 billion on the whole state and result in the creation of 15,000 new jobs. According to Morgan Stanley, this potential for economic growth will cut across regional and governmental boundaries, with a $9 trillion estimated global economic impact by 2050.
According to the press release, partnerships with JobsOhio, the Ohio Department of Development, the Ohio Department of Transportation, the Dayton Development Coalition (DDC), the U.S. Department of Defense, and cutting-edge businesses like the Defense Innovation Unit, Agility Prime program, and Air Force Research Laboratory that are all based in Dayton are additional significant factors that drew Joby to the city.
Nauseef said that “[w]hen fully executed, the agreement and the forward vision Joby has shared today will mark the largest aviation job creation deal in Ohio history.”
JobsOhio is proposing a $110 million grant for Joby and talent acquisition services to assist Joby with its entire talent strategy. The Ohio Department of Development Tax Credit Authority will also examine a Job Creation Tax Credit (JCTC) estimated at $93 million. The authority will consider Joby’s needs when designing the services, including aspects like candidate sourcing, engagement, attractiveness, selection, and training. To prepare current and prospective employees for these high-tech manufacturing roles and regional incentives, Joby intends to apply for Ohio TechCred aid.
U.S. Senator JD Vance (R-OH) said that this new Ohio investment excites them, and he wishes them the best of luck.
“Ohio is the undisputed home of aviation. I’m excited that new, innovative flight technologies have found a home in the Dayton area, just miles away from where the Wright brothers started it all. We want to see Ohio become the research, development, and manufacturing hub for the future of military and civilian aerospace technologies. Joby Aviation’s new investment is a welcome step toward advancing that goal. I look forward to working with them and wish them the best of luck,” Vance said.
According to the press release, the 583 aerospace companies based in Ohio employed nearly 130,300 people in 2022. The aerospace industry in Ohio generates $42.3 billion in economic production annually, according to the Aerospace Industries Association.
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Hannah Poling is a lead reporter at The Ohio Star, The Star News Network, The Arizona Sun Times, and The Tennessee Star. Follow Hannah on Twitter @HannahPoling1. Email tips to [email protected]
Photo “Air Taxi” by Wisk Aero LLC. CC BY-SA 4.0.
