MIT startup to build 1,200-mile range hybrid-electric aircraft for regional travel

In 1903, two brothers from Dayton, Ohio, proved that the idea of flying planes More than a century later, a quiet revolution in regional transit is returning to the exact same soil. Electra, an aerospace startup born out of a 2017 MIT classroom project, is preparing to manufacture a new kind of hybrid-electric aircraft in Springfield, Ohio. Supported by a massive $850 million investment, the company’s new 96-acre production facility is projected to create nearly 2,000 local jobs. The hybrid aircraft is being designed for short-runway takeoffs and landings. It is powered by eight electric wing motors and a small, highly efficient gas-powered generator. The fixed-wing plane offers a 1,200-mile range and a cruising speed of roughly 200 mph. Its minimal runway requirements allow it to operate from nontraditional locations like soccer fields, parking lots, and barges. The idea is to offer cleaner, more direct regional transit for communities outside major airport hubs. “Helping people travel between 50 and 250 miles is the sweet spot for this technology,” said Chris Courtin, Electra Director of Technology Development. “This can be a better option than driving or commercial airlines for many kinds of trips. There’s a lot of people traveling in that range and a huge amount of friction in existing ground and air transport systems. This could be a big benefit to those people,” Courtin added. The eight motors allow the aircraft to take off and land in areas about the length of a soccer field. Credit: Electra Hybrid design The firm aimed to rethink regional air transit by choosing ultra-short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) design over eVTOL concepts. Driving 150 miles often means battling hours of traffic, while taking a commercial flight for the same distance requires driving to a major airport, waiting through security, and dealing with flight delays. Electra overcomes both hurdles. The firm’s hybrid design combines a small, efficient gas generator in the nose with batteries under the floor to power eight electric motors on the wings. This setup creates extra airflow over the wings, a phenomenon called “blown lift.” It enables the plane to take off and land in extremely tight spaces like a soccer field. As the batteries provide the extra boost needed for takeoff, the main engine only needs to handle steady flying, which saves fuel and gives the aircraft much longer range than fully electric planes. Set to reshape regional travel Following subscale testing at MIT and the company’s official founding in 2019, Electra validated the concept with its EL2 two-seat demonstrator, which has logged over 200 flight tests since 2023. And it is now leveraging new investment to scale manufacturing for its nine-passenger commercial aircraft in Springfield and Clark County. Electra will offer travelers substantial time savings by skipping traditional airports and train stations. It can also connect remote rural communities directly to major hubs by landing in compact spaces without adding to runway traffic. Interestingly, the aircraft operates far more quietly than other planes or helicopters because its power is distributed across eight smaller propellers. This quiet operation makes it both more affordable to run and suitable for noise-sensitive urban and suburban areas. Electra will break ground next year on a 96-acre manufacturing facility. The aim is for an initial annual capacity of 400 nine-seat aircraft, with plans to scale to 800 per year.In addition to shuttle flights to major hubs, the company envisions replacing conventional airports altogether by utilizing existing soccer-field-sized spaces for low-cost passenger transit, cargo delivery, military logistics, and humanitarian aid.Get the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox.Mrigakshi is a science journalist who enjoys writing about space exploration, biology, and technological innovations. Her work has been featured in well-known publications including Nature India, Supercluster, The Weather Channel and Astronomy magazine. If you have pitches in mind, please do not hesitate to email her.