Two of the more prominent developers in electric aircraft – BETA Technologies and Archer Aviation have announced they are collaborating to help roll out an interoperable charging network to support a multitude of electric vehicles.
If you follow any of our eVTOL coverage, you probably recognize both Archer Aviation ($ACHR) and BETA Technologies, as both electric aircraft and charging developers have hit some major milestones the past year.
BETA’s ALIA electric conventional takeoff and landing (eCTOL) aircraft completed a flight milestone of its own in October, traveling 2,000 miles from the company’s headquarters in Vermont, across 12 states down to Florida, where the US Air Force is now validating its vital use cases like critical resupply, cargo deliveries, and personnel transport.
In addition to eVTOL and eCTOL aircraft, BETA Technologies also develops its own charging technology and already has 14 stations online in the US with 55 additional sites already in development or construction.
Through today’s latest collaboration, Archer intends to implement BETA’s electric aircraft charging technology to support its own eVTOL lineup, helping grow a universal network for all zero emissions vehicles.
BETA Technologies’ Charge Cube system / Credit: Business Wire
Archer adopts BETA’s electric aircraft charging and beyond
The electric aircraft and charging developers shared a joint release today, outlining what they are hailing as an “industry-first agreement” to roll out an interoperable fast-charging network across the zero-emissions aviation segment.
The collaboration comes after the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) published a report in September titled “Interoperability of Electric Charging Infrastructure,” concluding that shared charging infrastructure offers numerous benefits over multiple proprietary protocols developed by OEMs. We’re seeing something similar happen in the North American passenger EV market as OEMs are gravitating toward NACS.
To date, all of BETA’s charging infrastructure has lined the East Coast, but following its collaboration with Archer, electric aircraft charging is moving west. To begin, Archer will implement two of BETA’s Charge Cube systems (seen above) at its test facilities in California, as well as multiple Mini Cube mobile chargers deployed as needed. Archer’s SVP of powertrain Dr. Michael Schwekutsch spoke to the collaboration with BETA and what it means for the future of the industry:
During my time as the VP of Powertrain Engineering at Tesla it was well understood that having a widely accessible, fast-charger network was key to driving the adoption of EVs, and the same is true for eVTOLs, and that’s why we are so excited to collaborate with BETA to build out the charging network for our electric air taxis.
This industry-first agreement shows excellent foresight from both companies, especially BETA Technologies, who has been developing electric aircraft charging technology for years in anticipation of a new widespread mobility segment. BETA founder and CEO Kyle Clark elaborated:
Over the past decade, transportation has shifted toward electric and now we’re seeing resonance and viability for aviation to do the same. A backbone of reliable, fast and accessible infrastructure will be critical to enabling this technology, which is why we’ve been focused on building out a charging network alongside our aircraft for some time now. When we designed our chargers, we saw an opportunity to support the entire sector by using an already peer reviewed standard, and we’re thrilled to collaborate with Archer now to validate that aim.
Looking ahead, BETA Technologies will continue working to install its charging infrastructure around the US, which now includes the systems at Archer’s facilities mentioned above.
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For those who don’t remember, the rollout of the previous refresh was terrible. Tesla took orders for almost a year, but it waited for almost another year to start deliveries due to problems ramping up production.
Now, it appears that deliveries in Europe will occur within 6 months of the refresh and within weeks of ordering for most people.
That said, the mid-cycle refresh has been considered mild and isn’t likely to have a significant impact on sales.
I wouldn’t expect more than a few thousand Model S/X sales in Europe per year.
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Uber gets it. The rideshare behemoth has observed the upward trend of EV adoption across its database of customers and drivers and is helping to support that transition. Beginning today, the “Uber Green” ride option is now called “Uber Electric,” visible to all app users worldwide. To celebrate the transition, Uber is offering discounted rides for those opting for electric vehicles, and drivers may also qualify for a $4,000 grant.
At this point, Uber is a household name in the rideshare and logistics industries. Hell, it’s even a verb at this point. You don’t get this far without innovation and foresight, something the $200 billion company has excelled at to constantly evolve and adapt.
I recall when Uber initially offered only black town cars. Now you can order an UberX, Uber XL, Uber Comfort, Uber Eats, Uber Pet, rent a car, order groceries… the list goes on. In terms of electric vehicle adoption, Uber has long shown interest in the technology and quickly understood that EVs are ideal for the gig economy that comprises its market.
We’ve seen Uber partner with several autonomous vehicle developers, many of which operate fleets of electric vehicles. In fact, we’ve covered so many partnerships between Uber and other exciting mobility companies that we can’t begin to name all of them.
Today, Uber has recognized the dwindling incentives available to US drivers interested in going electric and has tweaked its rideshare offerings to promote more sustainable options.
Source: Uber
Uber Green goes full-electric worldwide today
According to an email sent from Uber this morning, Uber Green has been renamed Uber Electric. Per the company, the new name “reflects record EV growth on our platform, making it easier for riders to choose zero-emissions rides.”
Uber elaborated that over 200,000 EVs are driving on its global network, and 1 in 4 of its customers say their first-ever EV ride was through the Uber app (I hope it wasn’t in the back seat of a Model Y, because that’s a rough ride).
Today’s transition builds upon Uber’s decision to make Uber Green (a mix of hybrids and EVs) fully electric in the US earlier this year. Those parameters now apply to the entire rideshare network. Pradeep Parameswaran, Global Head of Mobility at Uber, spoke:
Uber Electric is more than a new name, it represents the real progress we’ve made toward electrifying our platform globally over the past five years. Thousands of drivers are leading the charge, choosing electric and helping cities improve air quality. We’ll keep supporting drivers by removing barriers to EV adoption and working with cities to improve access to charging.
To celebrate the transition to Uber Electric, the company is offering customers 20% off (up to $8) their next EV ride when they use promo code GOELECTRIC20 (valid for 7 days).
Additionally, Uber has recognized the expired federal grant of $4,000 for used EV purchases in the US and is keeping that incentive alive in certain states to entice drivers to continue to go fully-electric. The company’s “Go Electric” grants will offer eligible Uber drivers up to $4,000 toward new and used electric vehicle purchases, but only in the following regions:
California
Colorado
Massachussetts
New York City
Uber’s grant can be combined with other individual state incentives, making it easier than ever for drivers to go electric, depending on their state. Uber pointed out that US drivers nationwide can still receive $1,000 toward any new or used EV purchased through TrueCar.
Go electric! Opt for the EV option on your next ride and use that discount code!
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Tesla is recalling approximately 13,000 recent Model 3 and Model Y vehicles built earlier this year due to a battery pack defect that can result in power loss.
In August, Tesla started getting reports of power losses in new Model 3 and Model Y vehicles.
After reviewing 36 warranty claims and 26 field reports, the automaker identified a defect in some battery pack contactors that could potentially affect approximately 8,000 Model Ys and 5,000 Model 3s built in the US between March and August 2025.
Tesla wrote in the recall notice:
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The recall population includes certain Model Year (“MY”) 2025 Model 3 vehicles manufactured between March 8, 2025, and August 12, 2025, and MY 2026 Model Y vehicles manufactured between March 15, 2025, and August 15, 2025, that are equipped with a battery pack contactor manufactured with InTiCa solenoid.
If the battery pack contactor opens when the vehicle is in drive, it loses power and ability to apply torque, which may increase the risk of a collision – hence the safety recall.
The automaker identified Sistemas Mecatrónicos InTiCa S.A.P.I., a tier 2 supplier in Mexico, and SongChuan, a tier 1 supplier in Taiwan, as being involved in the recall.
Tesla confirmed that it is contacting all potentially affected owners and it will replace the affected contactor with “a certified contactor that does not contain InTica solenoid and that maintains coil termination connection” at no cost to owners.
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