Electric aviation pioneers are back on the Paris Air Show stage, vying for attention from prospective customers and, no less importantly, investors. Much has transpired in the advanced air mobility (AAM) sector since the last biennial airshow at Le Bourget, not least among eVTOL aircraft developers but also with efforts to reinvent regional air services with electric and hybrid-electric airplanes coming to the fore.
Two years ago, Volocopter made headlines at the Paris show as it mapped out how it intended to have its two-seat VoloCity eVTOL vehicle certified by EASA in time to operate flights during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. That proved to be unrealistic, and by the end of last year the German company was fighting to escape from insolvency before being rescued by the Chinese owners of Austria-based Diamond Aviation.
Another high-profile German AAM company wasn’t so fortunate. Lilium was forced to shut its doors after a rescue plan led by a group of European and North American investors failed to produce the promised fresh capital needed to continue work on its six-passenger Lilium Jet.
Beta’s Alia Set for Flying Display
This year’s show will provide visible proof that electric aircraft are getting ever-closer to earning revenues for their backers. Beta Technologies’ Alia CX300 airplane is being featured this week in the flying display as it continues a European tour that will culminate in it being delivered to launch customer Bristow in July. The Vermont-based company believes it can complete FAA type certification for the CX300 in 2026 and then get its sibling, the Alia 250 eVTOL vehicle, approved a year later.
Both versions of the all-electric Alia aircraft can carry one pilot and up to five passengers or 1,250 pounds of cargo. The CX300 prototype has demonstrated a range of 336 nm, while the Alia 250 has a projected range of 250 nm.
Other eVTOL frontrunners at Le Bourget this week include Silicon Valley’s Joby and Archer, which have attracted $1 billion-plus war chests, with backers including leading automotive groups. Both of these companies are flight testing prototypes, and Embraer spin-off Eve Air Mobility is preparing to begin flight trials with its four-passenger vehicle later this year.
At least another dozen electric aircraft programs are vying for attention at Le Bourget this year, as well as companies working on new propulsion systems, such as ZeroAvia and Dovetail Electric Aviation. Others include Boeing’s Wisk Aero subsidiary, which is developing a fully autonomous eVTOL air taxi; Textron’s Pipistrel unit, exhibiting the Velis Electro two-seat trainer; eVTOL start-ups Ascendance and ERC System; amphibious aircraft developer Jekta; and SmartFlyer with its hybrid-electric model.
Beyond eVTOL aircraft, several companies are focused on reinventing regional air services with various all-electric and hybrid fixed-wing aircraft. These include VoltAero, which is unveiling a redesigned mockup of the Cassio 330; Aura Aero, which is seeking to bring both the Integral E electric trainer and the ERA regional airliner to market; and Vaeridion with its Microliner.