A battery thermal runaway at Archer Aviation's San Jose facility sparked a chain reaction that injured three people and forced an evacuation on Monday. All three were released, and the evacuation order was lifted after crews moved the affected batteries to a remediation station and submerged them in a suppression tank.
The incident unfolded at Archer's 77 Rio Battery lab in San Jose, according to the New York Post, which reported the evacuation and the injuries. Per the Post's reporting, Archer told KRON that the incident involved 30 Molicel batteries and attributed the chain reaction to employee error. Molicel, the battery manufacturer whose cells were involved, has described thermal runaway as a dangerous chain reaction in lithium batteries that can overheat, fail, catch fire, or explode, the outlet noted.
A fire watch team is guarding the affected batteries until Wednesday morning, and Republic Services is set to dispose of the batteries and handle any necessary cleanup, per the same account.
The Batteries Behind Archer's Midnight Aircraft
Archer's Midnight eVTOL is a piloted five-seat electric air taxi at the center of the company's commercial plans. Archer positions Midnight to replace 60-minute car commutes with 10-minute flights.
Battery safety has drawn attention from Archer and NASA.
Legal Dispute
Archer also faced legal turbulence closer to home: a federal judge in San Jose dismissed Archer's counterclaims in an ongoing trade-secret lawsuit filed by rival Joby Aviation, a case Hoodline previously covered as it unfolded in federal court.
Olympic Ambitions Ride on San Jose's Output
The San Jose plant's battery output underpins Archer's broader commercial rollout, including plans far from Silicon Valley. The company is set to serve as the exclusive air taxi provider for L.A. Live, AEG's four-million-square-foot sports and entertainment district adjacent to Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles, with a proposed vertiport meant to shuttle fans, athletes, artists, and other visitors without relying on congested city roads. Archer hopes to become the top air transport provider for the 2028 LA Olympic Games, and Archer executive Adam Goldstein has said the company views the downtown location as a unique opportunity ahead of the LA28 Games.
The Post reported that it reached out to Archer Aviation for comment on Monday's incident.
