Joby Aviation Battery Manufacturing for Electric Aircraft
Summary
SCH Number
2026020399
Public Agency
California Energy Commission
Document Title
Joby Aviation Battery Manufacturing for Electric Aircraft
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
2/11/2026
Document Description
This project will design and establish Joby Aviation Battery Manufacturing for Electric Aircraft in California. The San Carlos campus will be expanded for a new battery module high-volume line.The Marina campus will be expanded for electric aircraft assembling and testing. The proposed work would happen in the existing buildings and is scoped to include tenant improvements only, including light demo, concrete grinding/polishing, painting, compressed air and power drops for additional manufacturing capacity.
Contact Information
Name
Taiying Zhang
Agency Name
California Energy Commission
Job Title
Air Pollution Specialist
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Cities
San Carlos
Counties
San Mateo
Regions
San Francisco Bay Area
Cross Streets
980 Industrial Drive
Zip
94070
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Cal. Code Reg., tit. 14, section 15301 and section 15303
Reasons for Exemption
Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, section 15301 provides that the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use are exempt from CEQA.
Joby currently leases space at the project site to perform laboratory research and small-scale manufacturing of aircraft assemblies. This project will expand the aviation battery manufacturing capability with the addition of a new, high-volume battery module line at the site. The proposed work would happen in the existing building(s) and is scoped to include tenant improvements only, including light demo, concrete grinding/polishing, painting, compressed air and power drops for additional manufacturing capacity. The project therefore involves negligible expansion of existing or former use of the site. For these reasons, this project will have no significant impact on the environment and is exempt under CEQA Guidelines section 15301.
Cal. Code regs., tit. 14, section 15303 provides that the construction and location of limited number of new, small facilities or structures; installation of small new equipment and facilities in small structures; and the conversion of existing small structures from one use to another where only minor modifications are made in the exterior of the structure are exempt from CEQA.
The modifications to the existing site include the addition and demolition of walls, and relocation of electrical and plumbing. The result of these upgrades and additions of new equipment will increase the manufacturing capability of aviation batteries. For these reasons, work under this project will have no significant impact on the environment and is exempt under CEQA Guidelines section 15303.