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“Joby–Archer Rivalry Explodes as New Trade-Secret Lawsuit Rocks the Air Taxi Race”🚨🚨🚨

The fierce competition in the electric air taxi industry escalated this week as Joby Aviation (JOBY) filed a lawsuit against Archer Aviation (ACHR), accusing its rival of stealing trade secrets in what it described as “corporate espionage, planned and premeditated.” The legal move marks one of the most dramatic clashes yet in the rapidly emerging world of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

According to the complaint, Joby alleges that its former U.S. state and local policy lead, George Kivork, was recruited by Archer over the summer. Just two days before announcing his resignation, Kivork allegedly downloaded “dozens” of internal files and forwarded other sensitive materials to his personal email account—information Joby claims was later used to help Archer secure a more lucrative partnership deal.

Joby says it learned of the situation a month later when a strategic partner—one Kivork had previously worked with—revealed that Archer approached them with a sweetened offer. Joby believes the pitch was strengthened by improperly acquired proprietary information.

Archer strongly denied the allegations, calling the lawsuit “baseless litigation” and insisting it has “no merit,” according to a statement given to CNBC.

This isn’t the first time Archer has faced accusations of intellectual property theft. In 2021, Wisk, a Boeing subsidiary, sued Archer for what it called the “brazen theft” of confidential designs and engineering data.

Both Joby and Archer are racing to bring electric air taxis to market, securing major partnerships with commercial aviation and defense industry leaders along the way. As the companies push toward FAA certification and eventual commercial operations, the legal battles underscore the high stakes—and intense pressure—surrounding the future of air mobility.