Joby Aviation’s electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) has taken off from Toyota’s technical facility in Shizuoka, completing its first test flight outside the US.

eVTOL aircraft represent a substantial leap forward in the aviation industry's path to net zero. Designed for short-range travel, these aircraft are targeting the on-demand air taxi market for use by commuters, business travellers and tourists in predominantly urban areas.

One of the major players in the eVTOL industry is Californian company Joby Aviation, which was founded in 2009 and has received $1.7bn in funding to date.

Developing electric air taxis for commercial passenger service, Joby believes that ridesharing in the air is an invention that will shift the way people live and move, tackling both congestion and climate change. The company also aims to make its air taxi service affordable so that it is “accessible to all”.

Having already completed thousands of test flights of its production prototype eVTOL aircraft...