Three major aviation companies announced a plan to build charging infrastructure for electric air taxis across the United States, targeting 250 sites at major airports and metropolitan areas over the next decade. Archer Aviation, BETA Technologies, and Macquarie Capital launched America's Consortium for Electric Skyways (ACES) on July 16, 2026, aiming to create the standardized charging foundation needed to scale electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) commercial operations nationwide.

Why Does Electric Aviation Need a Shared Charging Network?

The eVTOL industry faces a critical infrastructure challenge: no single company can build and maintain the charging network required to support widespread commercial operations. The consortium model solves this by pooling resources and expertise from three organizations with complementary strengths. BETA Technologies will supply purpose-built electric aviation chargers built on the Combined Charging Standard (CCS), an open protocol endorsed by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) and widely adopted across the eVTOL industry. This open standard ensures that multiple aircraft manufacturers and operators can use the same charging infrastructure, avoiding the fragmentation that could occur if companies built competing proprietary systems.

Archer Aviation will anchor the network by launching passenger air taxi operations in major metropolitan areas, providing near-term operational certainty and demonstrating real-world demand for the charging sites. Macquarie Capital brings three decades of aviation infrastructure expertise and will help arrange the investment capital necessary to acquire sites and develop the facilities.

Where Will These Charging Sites Be Located?

The consortium will prioritize deploying charging infrastructure in key markets where Archer and BETA plan to operate. These include major regions across the United States:

• California: Home to multiple major metropolitan areas and airports where eVTOL operations are expected to launch
• Texas: Large urban centers with significant demand for advanced air mobility solutions
• Florida: Growing metropolitan areas positioned for early eVTOL adoption
• New York: Dense urban environment where air taxi services could address transportation challenges

As selected participants in the Federal Aviation Administration's eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP), the consortium will prioritize these markets where regulatory pathways are being established for commercial eVTOL operations. This positions ACES at the center of the White House's push to lead the world in commercializing next-generation aviation technologies.

How Does the Shared Infrastructure Model Work?

The consortium's approach creates a shared infrastructure model where multiple operators and use cases run on the same chargers. Archer will access the network for passenger air taxi operations during peak operational hours, while BETA's customers can use the same chargers to support cargo operations and medical transport. This flexibility allows the infrastructure investment to serve multiple revenue streams and operational needs simultaneously.

The model extends even further at major airports by making CCS-compatible chargers available to airport ground support vehicles, establishing truly open, shared aviation infrastructure needed to build airports of the future. This approach creates a pathway for additional infrastructure operators, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and investors to join the unified network rather than fragment into competing proprietary systems.

"Electric air taxi operations can't scale without the infrastructure to charge them. That's why we're building the backbone to support the next 250 years of electric aviation in America," said Adam Goldstein, founder and chief executive officer of Archer Aviation.

Adam Goldstein, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Archer Aviation

Goldstein emphasized that by putting interoperable chargers in locations where Archer plans to fly and using the industry-adopted charging standard, every operator can share in their usage and distribute the cost across the whole industry.

What Role Does Each Partner Play in ACES?

The consortium structure leverages each organization's core competencies to build a viable network that no single company could deliver alone:

• BETA Technologies: Supplies purpose-built charging hardware for each site, ensuring compatibility across various electric aircraft manufacturers through the open CCS standard
• Archer Aviation: Anchors the network with plans to launch passenger VTOL air taxi services in major metropolitan areas, providing operational certainty and near-term demand signals
• Macquarie Capital: Provides strategic guidance on aviation infrastructure and arranges investment capital for site acquisition, development, and construction

This collaborative approach is designed to achieve a scale and interoperability that would be challenging for any single company to accomplish independently. By bringing together technology, operations, and capital expertise, the consortium aims to accelerate adoption of electric aviation and position the United States as a global leader in the rapidly evolving industry.

"The infrastructure required to open our nation's airports and future vertiports to advanced air mobility is a fraction of what people expect. By deploying interoperable chargers built on an open standard, we're putting in place nearly all the physical infrastructure this industry needs, built so every operator can use it," explained Kyle Clark, founder and chief executive officer of BETA Technologies.

Kyle Clark, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, BETA Technologies

What Challenges Does the Consortium Face?

Despite the ambitious goals, the project faces significant obstacles. Market acceptance of electric aviation remains uncertain, with ongoing technological and commercial hurdles to overcome. Established aviation companies may respond by developing proprietary charging solutions or integrating electric aircraft into their existing fleets, potentially complicating the competitive landscape. Regulatory barriers and infrastructure development issues also present potential obstacles to the project's progress.

The consortium will need to navigate complex financing requirements, secure necessary regulatory approvals, and demonstrate that the charging infrastructure can reliably support commercial operations. However, the partnership structure and focus on open standards position ACES to address these challenges more effectively than individual companies could alone.

Archer Aviation and BETA Technologies are exhibiting at the Farnborough International Airshow from July 20 through July 24, 2026. On July 21, Archer will host a fireside chat featuring Adam Goldstein, Kyle Clark, and Dan Edwards, FAA Associate Administrator for Airports, to discuss what the partnership means for the future of the eVTOL industry and how it establishes a development path for other markets to follow.