Poised for Takeoff: How Joby Aviation Is Shaping the eVTOL Race Beyond 2025

The Momentum Shift

When 2025 began, Joby Aviation was just another competitor in the crowded electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) space. Yet as the year closed, the company had delivered a 62.4% stock surge, decisively outpacing rivals like Archer Aviation and Vertical Aerospace. Lilium Aerospace’s financial collapse underscored the sector’s challenges, but Joby’s trajectory tells a different story—one of strategic positioning and tangible progress.

Why Joby’s Vertical Integration Matters

The contrast in business models reveals why Joby stands apart. While competitors pursue asset-light strategies by integrating third-party aerospace components, Joby is building its own manufacturing infrastructure. Toyota’s involvement isn’t ceremonial; the automotive titan is directly supporting Joby’s manufacturing development, addressing what many saw as the company’s structural weakness. This vertical integration approach, coupled with Uber and Delta Air Lines as both investors and commercial partners, signals confidence that goes beyond capital.

The Uber partnership deserves particular attention. It opens pathways to a fully vertically integrated transportation services model—not just aircraft production, but end-to-end mobility solutions. Delta’s participation creates immediate market applications for home-to-airport connectivity, transforming Joby from a pure-play manufacturer into an operational services provider.

2025’s Concrete Achievements

Joby’s progress extended far beyond stock price appreciation:

Manufacturing Scaling: The company doubled production capacity at its Marina, California facility, a tangible signal of readiness for commercialization rather than perpetual development.

Regulatory Leadership: Joby maintains a commanding position in the FAA certification race—arguably the most critical determinant in the eVTOL sector. While competitors navigate slower approval pathways, Joby advanced toward Type Inspection Authorization (TIA) flights with FAA pilots, positioning itself for full type certification as early as 2026 or 2027.

Geographic Expansion: The White House eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP) offers Joby the chance to begin limited operations in select U.S. markets ahead of complete FAA clearance—a regulatory shortcut competitors haven’t yet secured.

The 2026 Takeoff Window

What distinguishes 2026 for Joby is the concentration of milestone events. The company plans to launch commercial air taxi services in Dubai—a market hungry for innovation and politically aligned with aviation modernization. Simultaneously, Saudi Arabia represents another significant opportunity, with pre-commercial evaluation flights scheduled for the first half of 2026 following a recent memorandum of understanding.

These aren’t speculative ventures; they’re operational tests in real markets with genuine demand and supportive regulatory environments.

The Investment Question

The key variable isn’t whether Joby will succeed—the company has already demonstrated superior execution compared to peers. Rather, the question is whether upcoming catalysts translate into share price momentum. TIA flights, Dubai operations, Saudi Arabia progression, and FAA certification represent concrete inflection points that could justify continued market enthusiasm.

Joby Aviation’s 2025 performance wasn’t luck. It reflected investor recognition that the company’s integrated approach, strategic partnerships, and regulatory progress create a defensible competitive position as the eVTOL market moves from development to deployment.