Archer, BETA and Macquarie launch eVTOL charging consortium

Archer Aviation (NYSE: ACHR), BETA Technologies (NYSE: BETA) and Macquarie Capital announced the formation of America's Consortium for Electric Skyways (ACES), a plan to deploy electric charging infrastructure at up to 250 air taxi sites across the United States by 2030.

The consortium will install BETA's charging hardware built on the Combined Charging Standard (CCS), an open charging standard endorsed by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA). The network is intended to support interoperability across multiple electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft operators.

Target markets include airports and vertiports in California, Texas, Florida and New York. Archer will anchor the network with planned passenger air taxi operations in those cities, while BETA's customers will use the infrastructure for cargo and medical transport. The chargers will also be made available to airport ground support vehicles at major airports.

Archer and BETA are selected participants in the FAA's eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP). The consortium said it will prioritize charging deployment in eIPP markets.

Macquarie Capital will provide strategic advice and help arrange investment capital for site acquisition, development and construction. The firm is the advisory, capital markets and principal investment arm of Macquarie Group.

"Electric air taxi operations can't scale without the infrastructure to charge them," said Adam Goldstein, founder and chief executive officer of Archer Aviation.

"The infrastructure required to open our nation's airports and future vertiports to advanced air mobility is a fraction of what people expect," said Kyle Clark, founder and chief executive officer of BETA Technologies.

Dan Edwards, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs at the U.S. Department of Transportation, said the consortium is "helping to lay the foundation for the United States to win in the next era of advanced aviation."

Archer Aviation and BETA Technologies are scheduled to exhibit at the Farnborough International Airshow from July 20–24.

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