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Archer Aviation vs. EHang: Who Has the Edge in Future Air Mobility?

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Key Takeaways

  • ACHR is highlighted as a key contender as demand grows for cleaner, faster urban air mobility solutions.
  • ACHR is advancing FAA approval, adding NVIDIA-powered AI and expanding in Europe through a Serbia partnership.
  • EHang secured autonomous eVTOL certification in China and completed a 22 km pilotless cross-strait flight.

Rising demand for cleaner and more efficient travel is driving growth in the electric vertical takeoff and landing eVTOL industry, which is expected to play an important role in future urban transportation. Two key companies in this space are Archer Aviation Inc. (ACHR - Free Report) and EHang Holdings Limited (EH - Free Report) , both working to improve city travel by reducing congestion and travel time.

US-based Archer Aviation is making progress toward Federal Aviation Administration approval for its Midnight aircraft and plans to launch commercial air taxi services. In contrast, China-based EHang is focusing on fully autonomous aircraft without pilots. The company became the first in the world to receive type certification for an autonomous eVTOL from China’s aviation authority, providing an early regulatory advantage.

As the global eVTOL market continues to expand, both companies are drawing strong interest from investors. Although Archer Aviation and EHang are pursuing different technological and regulatory strategies, competition in the urban air mobility market is still in its early stages.

Key Takeaways for ACHR

Archer Aviation has continued to strengthen its position in the eVTOL space through recent technology-focused and international expansion initiatives.

In January 2026, Archer Aviation Inc. announced plans to develop and deploy next-generation Artificial Intelligence technologies for aviation using the NVIDIA IGX Thor platform. The company aims to apply Physical AI to enhance aircraft safety, airspace integration and autonomy-ready systems. Archer Aviation plans to showcase this NVIDIA-powered integration at its recently acquired Hawthorne Airport facility in central Los Angeles, which is expected to serve as the operational hub for its planned Los Angeles air taxi network and a testing ground for AI-driven aviation technologies.

Moreover, Archer Aviation announced a strategic partnership with the Government of the Republic of Serbia as the country looks to support the adoption of electric air taxis across Europe. Under the agreement, Serbia selected ACHR as its preferred eVTOL partner and holds the option to purchase an initial fleet of Midnight aircraft. The deal allows for the purchase of up to 25 aircraft, subject to applicable legal and regulatory approvals. This partnership marks an important step in Archer Aviation’s efforts to expand its presence in the European urban air mobility market.

Key Takeaways for EH

EHang has recently reported key developments that support its progress in advanced air mobility through partnerships and operational milestones.

In January 2026, EHang Holdings Limited announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Real Automóvil Club de España, Spain’s leading automobile club and a founding member of the International Automobile Federation. The agreement focuses on exploring joint initiatives in advanced air mobility, motorsport-related innovation and next-generation mobility services. This collaboration reflects EHang’s efforts to expand its presence in Europe and work with established mobility organizations.

Earlier, in December 2025, EHang’s EH216 series pilotless eVTOL aircraft completed a successful point-to-point flight across the Qiongzhou Strait in China. The aircraft traveled 22 kilometers from Haikou City in Hainan Province to Zhanjiang City in Guangdong Province in 18 minutes, compared with a typical ferry crossing time of 60-90 minutes. This milestone highlights the efficiency and technical capability of autonomous eVTOL aircraft in overwater operations and supports future low-altitude mobility development between the two regions.

How do EPS Estimates Compare for ACHR & EH?

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Archer Aviation’s 2026 loss per share implies a year-over-year improvement. The stock’s near-term bottom-line estimates have remained constant over the past 60 days.

Zacks Investment Research
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for EHang Holdings’ 2026 earnings per share implies a year-over-year improvement. The stock’s 2026 bottom-line estimates have moved south over the past 60 days.

Zacks Investment Research
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Stock Price Performance: ACHR vs. EH

In the past year, ACHR has outperformed AIR. While ACHR’s shares lost 21.4%, EH lost 22.4%.

Zacks Investment Research
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

ACHR’s Valuation More Attractive Than EH

EH shares are expensive on a relative basis, with its trailing 12-month Price/Book (P/B TTM) being 6.42X compared with ACHR’s P/B TTM of 2.93X.

Zacks Investment Research
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Final Call

Both Archer Aviation Inc. and EHang are important players in the growing eVTOL market, but recent trends suggest that the former is currently better positioned.

Archer Aviation is making steady progress toward Federal Aviation Administration approval for its Midnight aircraft and is expanding its presence through technology-focused initiatives and international partnerships. Its efforts to integrate advanced Artificial Intelligence systems and its agreement with Serbia to support electric air taxi adoption in Europe strengthen its long-term growth outlook.

From a financial and valuation standpoint, Archer Aviation also compares more favorably. Earnings estimates for 2026 have remained stable, while EHang’s estimates have moved lower in recent months. In addition, Archer Aviation’s shares trade at a more attractive valuation compared with EHang.

While EHang continues to advance autonomous flight capabilities, Archer Aviation’s regulatory progress, strategic expansion and valuation make it better positioned to lead the next phase of urban air mobility.

Both ACHR and EH currently hold a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the full list of today’s Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here.


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