The electrification of aviation has moved from theoretical research to engineering reality faster than most industry observers predicted. While battery-electric Boeing 737s remain decades away (if ever), the progress in electric training aircraft, urban air mobility vehicles, and hybrid-electric regional concepts is tangible and accelerating. Here's what's real, what's close, and what's still aspirational.
What's Flying Now
Pipistrel Velis Electro — The First Certified Electric Aircraft
The Velis Electro, produced by Pipistrel (now part of Textron eAviation), holds the distinction of being the world's first type-certificated electric airplane. EASA issued its type certificate in 2020, and the aircraft is now operating at flight schools across Europe.
Specifications that matter: two-seat, battery-electric, approximately 50-minute flight endurance with VFR reserves, cruise speed of about 90 knots. It's designed specifically for traffic pattern work and basic flight training — and for that mission, it's remarkably effective. Operating costs are a fraction of a piston trainer: roughly $3–5 per flight hour for electricity versus $40–60 per hour for avgas in a Cessna 152.
The limitations are equally real: 50 minutes of endurance means it's a pattern and local flight trainer only. No cross-country capability. No IFR. Battery charging takes approximately one hour for a full cycle. But for ab initio training (takeoffs, landings, basic maneuvers), it's already competitive with conventional trainers.
As of 2026, the Velis Electro does not hold FAA type certification, though Textron has indicated plans to pursue it. U.S. operators are watching closely.
Bye Aerospace eFlyer
The eFlyer 2 and eFlyer 4 are Bye Aerospace's entries into the electric training market. The eFlyer 2 (two-seat trainer) targets 3+ hours of endurance — a significant improvement over the Velis Electro. The eFlyer 4 (four-seat) is aimed at personal transportation. Both are in advanced development with hundreds of pre-orders, though certification timelines have slipped multiple times. As of early 2026, the eFlyer 2 is in flight testing but not yet certified.
The eVTOL Revolution
Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft represent the most ambitious application of electric propulsion in aviation. These aircraft — designed for urban and suburban air taxi operations — combine electric propulsion with vertical takeoff capability, enabling point-to-point flights without runways.
Joby Aviation
Joby is widely considered the frontrunner in the eVTOL race. Their aircraft is a five-seat (1 pilot + 4 passengers), tiltrotor design with a range of approximately 100 miles and cruise speed of 200 mph. Joby has completed thousands of test flights and holds a Part 135 air carrier certificate. The company is targeting FAA type certification under Part 21 with Special Conditions for powered-lift aircraft.
Joby's approach is notable for its vertical integration: they're building the aircraft, developing the operating infrastructure, and plan to operate the air taxi service themselves (rather than selling aircraft to operators). Their partnership with Toyota brings manufacturing expertise and $400 million in investment.
Archer Aviation
Archer's Midnight is a four-passenger eVTOL with a target range of 60 miles and cruise speed of 150 mph. Archer has a partnership with United Airlines, which has placed a conditional order for $1 billion worth of aircraft for a planned air taxi network connecting airports to city centers.
Archer is pursuing FAA certification on a parallel track with Joby, and the company has stated intentions to launch commercial operations initially in partnership with existing operators.
What eVTOL Means for Pilots
The eVTOL industry projects significant pilot demand. McKinsey estimates 28,000 new pilot positions in urban air mobility by 2035, growing to over 60,000 by 2040 if the market develops as projected.
The FAA is developing a new certification pathway for eVTOL pilots. The current framework treats eVTOL aircraft as "powered-lift" — a category that exists in FAA regulations but has never been widely used. Pilot certification for powered-lift aircraft requires specific training in vertical flight, transition (the shift between vertical and wing-borne flight), and the unique aerodynamic characteristics of these designs.
For helicopter pilots, the transition to eVTOL may be relatively straightforward — many of the skills overlap (hover, vertical profiles, urban operations). For airplane pilots, additional training in vertical flight operations would be required.
Hybrid-Electric: The Bridge Technology
Pure battery-electric propulsion works for small, short-range aircraft. But for anything larger — regional turboprops, narrowbody airliners — current battery energy density (approximately 250 Wh/kg for state-of-the-art lithium-ion) is insufficient. Jet fuel contains roughly 12,000 Wh/kg. Even accounting for the efficiency advantages of electric motors, the energy gap is enormous.
Hybrid-electric propulsion bridges this gap by combining a turbine generator with battery-electric motors. The turbine generates electricity that drives electric motors on the propellers or fans. Batteries provide supplemental power during takeoff and climb (when energy demand peaks) and can be recharged during cruise by the turbine.
Several programs are advancing this concept:
Airbus / Rolls-Royce E-Fan X (discontinued but influential): Demonstrated a hybrid-electric system on a BAe 146 testbed, proving the concept at regional airline scale.
Heart Aerospace ES-30: A 30-seat hybrid-electric regional aircraft targeting 200 NM all-electric range (400 NM in hybrid mode). United Airlines and Mesa Air Group have placed conditional orders. Heart Aerospace is based in Sweden and is working toward certification in the late 2020s.
magniX: Developed electric propulsion systems that have been flight-tested on a de Havilland Beaver and a Cessna Caravan. These retrofits demonstrate that electric propulsion can work on existing airframes for short-range operations.
Battery Technology: The Limiting Factor
Every discussion of electric aviation eventually comes back to batteries. The progress is real but incremental:
- Current state-of-the-art: ~250 Wh/kg (lithium-ion)
- Near-term solid-state batteries: ~400–500 Wh/kg (projected by 2028–2030)
- Theoretical limits for lithium-based chemistries: ~600–800 Wh/kg
For context, replacing the fuel capacity of a Cessna 172 (56 gallons of avgas, providing 4–5 hours of endurance) with batteries at current energy density would require approximately 1,200 lbs of batteries — more than the aircraft's useful load.
Solid-state batteries, which replace the liquid electrolyte with a solid material, promise higher energy density, faster charging, and improved safety (no thermal runaway risk). Companies including QuantumScape, Solid Power, and Toyota are investing heavily, but aviation-grade solid-state batteries at scale remain several years out.
Regulatory Framework
The FAA is adapting its certification framework for electric and hybrid-electric aircraft. Key developments:
- Part 23 Amendment 64 (2017) introduced performance-based airworthiness standards that are technology-agnostic — they apply to electric aircraft without requiring a rewrite.
- Special Conditions for powered-lift aircraft provide the certification basis for eVTOL designs.
- Electric propulsion system certification standards are being developed in coordination with EASA and ASTM International.
- Charging infrastructure standards (SAE AS6968) define requirements for aircraft battery charging systems at airports and vertiports.