Archer vs. Joby: Skyward Stocks in a Chaotic Future

The next time a plane thunders overhead, glance upward. You’ll likely see the same old aluminum birds—or helicopters, those mechanical gnats—patrolling the sky. But soon, the air might hum with something stranger: electric flying cars. Or, as the Department of Redundancy might call them, “electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.” Investors, meanwhile, will be left wondering which of these paper-airplane dreams is worth the risk. Let’s not pretend we know. So it goes.

Archer Targets Commercial and Defense Applications

Scott Levine (Archer Aviation): Archer’s plan is simple: sell flying cars to everyone and their uncle while moonlighting as a defense contractor. Why not? The Midnight eVTOL is supposed to be a ride-share marvel and a war machine in waiting. The company has already signed deals with United Airlines, Abu Dhabi Aviation, and Ethiopian Airlines. These aren’t just handshakes; they’re commitments worth $1.5 billion. But here’s the kicker: Archer’s real money might come from selling hybrid eVTOLs to the Pentagon. In 2024, it partnered with Anduril, a defense tech company that sounds like it was born from a Silicon Valley board game. If Archer lands a Department of Defense contract, NATO allies might follow. Global tensions are a gift for defense contractors, like a Black Friday sale for doom. You, dear investor, are left to wonder: Is this the next Boeing, or the next Lehman Brothers? So it goes.

Archer’s civilian ambitions are solid, but its defense angle smells of opportunity. In a world where peace is as reliable as a software update, selling war machines to governments is a hedge against chaos. Or, as Vonnegut might say, a way to profit from the human habit of self-destruction.

Heavyweight Backers Provide Reassurance for Joby Investors

Lee Samaha (Joby Aviation): Joby’s strategy is less about selling planes and more about becoming the Uber of the sky. It builds everything in-house, a bold move in an industry where outsourcing is as common as oxygen. Its backers? Toyota, Uber, Delta. Giants in their own right, now betting on a future where your airport transfer is a five-minute flight over Manhattan. Toyota isn’t just writing checks—it’s supplying parts and helping with manufacturing. Uber, once the king of disruptive chaos, now owns a piece of Joby’s “flying taxi” dream. And Delta? It wants to ferry first-class passengers from terminal to runway like some celestial chauffeur service. The question isn’t whether Joby can build a plane. It’s whether it can survive the glorious mess of scaling a business. So it goes.

Joby’s vertically integrated model is a gamble. It’s building a skyscraper in a hurricane, betting that its roof won’t blow away. But with Uber’s customer base and Delta’s wallet, it’s a gamble with glitter on it. Investors love glitter. Until it shatters. Then they scream. So it goes.

Is It Better to Fly with Shares of Archer or Joby?

Disruption is a dirty word in finance. It promises riches but delivers uncertainty. Archer and Joby are both selling tickets to the future, but their destinations differ. Archer’s defense contracts offer a lifeline in a world that never stops fighting. Joby’s consumer-focused model bets on humanity’s love for convenience—even if that convenience involves flying over a city full of people who hate change. Which stock is better? That’s like asking which bullet is less deadly. Both could miss. Both could hit. As an investor, you’re not buying shares. You’re buying hope. And hope, as any Wall Street veteran will tell you, is a commodity that crashes harder than a poorly designed eVTOL. So it goes.

Investing in the future is a bet on the impossible. Or, as the ancients said before dying of plague: 🚀

2025-07-28 05:46

Archer Targets Commercial and Defense Applications

Heavyweight Backers Provide Reassurance for Joby Investors

Is It Better to Fly with Shares of Archer or Joby?

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