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Hybrid-electric aircraft startup Electra has announced an investment of USD 850 million to establish a manufacturing facility in Springfield, Ohio, to produce its nine-passenger EL9 hybrid-electric aircraft. The project is expected to generate 1,975 jobs and support production of up to 400 aircraft annually in its initial phase. The company is progressing through U.S. regulatory certification and is targeting commercial service by 2030. Backed by investors including Honeywell Aerospace, Safran and Lockheed Martin Ventures, Electra aims to expand regional air connectivity through its short take-off and landing aircraft.
Hybrid-electric aircraft startup Electra has announced plans to invest USD 850 million to build a manufacturing facility in Springfield, Ohio, where it will assemble its nine-passenger EL9 hybrid-electric aircraft. The investment is aimed at moving the aircraft from its development stage into large-scale commercial production and is expected to create 1,975 jobs.
The proposed facility will manufacture the company's EL9 Ultra Short, a fixed-wing aircraft equipped with hybrid-electric propulsion technology. The aircraft is designed to take off and land within approximately 150 feet, allowing it to operate from locations that do not require conventional airport infrastructure. Electra believes the aircraft can support point-to-point travel on routes of up to 250 miles, creating what it describes as a new category of regional transport known as Direct Aviation, using locations such as parking lots, barges and sports fields as operating points.
Speaking during the Farnborough International Airshow, Electra Chief Executive Officer Marc Allen said the company decided to move ahead with the investment after gaining confidence in both market demand and the progress of the aircraft's development. He added that Electra is advancing through the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification process and believes the time is right to establish a production facility.
Allen also pointed to the potential market for the aircraft, stating that around 32 million trips are made every day across the continental United States on routes between 50 miles and 250 miles, while only 0.6% of those journeys are currently made by air. According to the company, the EL9's ability to operate without long runways could open up regional air travel in locations where conventional aircraft cannot operate.
Electra expects the aircraft to complete its first flight in late 2027 or 2028, while the Springfield facility's initial phase is planned with an annual production capacity of up to 400 aircraft. The company is targeting commercial entry into service in 2030, subject to regulatory approvals.
The announcement comes as aerospace companies continue investing heavily in next-generation air mobility technologies, including electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and other advanced regional aviation solutions aimed at improving short-distance transportation.
Electra is backed by several major aerospace investors, including Honeywell Aerospace, Safran Corporate Ventures and Lockheed Martin Ventures. In the past week, the company also announced a production agreement with Safran Helicopter Engines, which includes an initial order for 250 turbogenerators. These systems combine a gas turbine with electric generators and power regulation technology to support hybrid-electric propulsion.
The company has also been selected for a U.S. government pilot programme designed to accelerate the deployment of advanced air mobility technologies, including electric aircraft and flying taxis. The initiative is intended to support certification, infrastructure development and commercial adoption of next-generation aviation systems.
Electra said it currently has 2,200 aircraft orders from 63 customers, providing an order backlog that will support future production as it works toward regulatory certification and commercial operations.
Source Reuters
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