7 Flying Car Stocks to Buy Before the Sector Really Takes Off

Joby Aviation Inc. (NYSE: JOBY) is the leading name in the eVTOL sector. A key reason for that is the company is the furthest down the path toward certification by the United States Federal Aviation Administration.  

The company has completed three of the five certification stages required by the FAA and has started the certification process for the fourth and fifth stages. The company expects to start commercial operations in 2026. Joby also has existing contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) that will have it delivering aircraft to MacDill Air Force Base in 2025.   

The caution regards the company’s cash burn, which continues to be significant. Still, that’s not unusual for a company at this stage. And at the end of 2024, the company had approximately $1 billion of cash on hand, not including an expected $500 million investment from Toyota Motor Co. (NYSE: TM), 

Archer Aviation Inc. (NYSE: ACHR) may not beat Joby Aviation to the finish line, but it won’t be far behind. As of January 2025, Archer has completed the first three stages of FAA certification. And, like Joby, it expects to begin commercial flights in 2026.  

In 2021, Archer formed a partnership with United Airlines Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: UAL). Originally, the partnership was designed to help with manufacturing. That has expanded to include the announcement of two point to point routes, one between Manhattan and Newark Airport and the most recent between downtown Chicago and O’Hare International Airport.  The company is also negotiating with the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) to launch an air taxi program in the country by 2026.  

Archer faces many of the same risks as Joby Aviation with high short interest, and the company is still years away from turning a profit. However, like Joby, Archer has a partnership with a key manufacturer, Stellantis N.V. (NYSE: STLA), to help ensure the company can successfully scale production.  

The flying car industry is international in scope. And as you might expect, China is one of the largest markets. That's why you should consider EHang Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: EH). In April 2024, the company’s EH216-S pilotless eVTOL aircraft successfully completed its first autonomous flight in Abu Dhabi, the company’s first flight in the state.  

Investors should note that EHang has received approval through the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). This is not the same as the FCC in the United States, and industry observers note that the guidelines for approval by the CAAC are not as stringent as those of the FCC. However, EHang is getting more than regulatory support from the Chinese government; it also enjoys financial support by way of government incentives.  

The approval puts the company in the production phase and it's starting to generate revenue. EHang is not yet profitable, but the company is ahead of the industry. 

Vertical Aerospace Ltd. (NYSE: EVTL) is a small-cap, U.K.-based eVTOL company with a market cap of just over 108 million as of January 2025. This is a company that illustrates the risk that exists in the flying car sector. 

The company has a prototype that is in the midst of the certification process. However, the company suffered a crash during a test flight that will delay its certification into 2026. That puts it behind the schedule of some of the other companies in the sector. It also sent EVTL stock plummeting in 2024.  

But not being first shouldn’t take it off your list. What is more concerning is that in late 2023, the company made a fixed-shelf filing to raise up to $180 million in cash. Second, the company received a delisting notice from the Nasdaq in December 2023 and was forced to conduct a 10-for-1 reverse stock split in September 2024. The company raised $84 million in capital through a secondary share offering in January 2025 but will likely need to raise more capital to ensure it can make it through production.  

Eve Holding Inc. (NYSE: EVEX) completed the development of a prototype and will begin the certification process in the first half of 2025. That means the company will lag behind other competitors in terms of providing commercial flights (i.e. generating revenue). It also means the payoff from investing in EVEX stock will require some patience. 

But that patience could be rewarded. That’s because Eve is a subsidiary of the airline maker Embraer. Not only that, but the company also has a partnership with United Airlines Inc. (NYSE: UAL) for 200 of the company’s air taxis. And the story gets better. Eve has non-binding Letters of Intent (LOIs) for 2,850 aircraft valued at around $14.4 billion. And the company also has a service portfolio, “Tech Care”, through which it provides maintenance, logistics, and training.  

Eve believes it has the capital to get through 2025 and with Embraer as a parent company, investors shouldn’t be too worried about liquidity. That’s why investors seem to be excited about the stock.  

The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA) gives less risk-tolerant investors a way to invest in the flying car sector. Boeing is one of the companies that provides its expertise to the emerging eVTOL industry.   

The company is one of the investors in Wisk, a start-up that is testing its Generation 6 autonomous eVTOL which the company describes as the “most advanced, autonomous, four-passenger eVTOL air taxi in the world.” Boeing is also bringing its expertise to bear in the Boeing Aerospace & Autonomy Center at MIT which opened in October 2022. However, the company is not expecting to have commercial operations until 2030.  

Investing in Boeing does give you exposure to the company’s commercial airline business which has been dragging down the stock for several years. But you’re also investing in one of the leading companies in the growing space economy.  

The bottom line is that Boeing is a company that touches many areas in the aerospace industry.   

Blade Air Mobility Inc. (NASDAQ: BLDE) is well known for providing alternative forms of air transportation. Specifically, the company is a pioneer in the urban air mobility space. In addition to its reputation as the Uber of helicopters in the United States, the company has expanded into Canada, Europe as well as conducting medical flights.  

The company’s asset light model is allowing the company to generate revenue that is growing year-over-year. The company is partnering with companies such as Wisk (see Boeing) in transitioning to the eVTOL sector.  

Having said that, Blade isn’t profitable at the moment, but it is cash flow positive. That being said, BLDE stock is still trading as a penny stock in early 2025. However, for speculative investors with the willingness to take some risk, Blade may be the biggest hidden gem in the sector.