Electra is set to establish an $850 million factory in Ohio for its ultra-short hybrid aircraft.

      Startup Electra plans to invest approximately $850 million to establish a factory in Ohio, marking the company's first dedicated production facility for hybrid-electric ultra-short takeoff and landing aircraft. This move positions Electra in the same state as its competitor Joby, which is currently constructing a scaled facility in Dayton.

      Ohio has actively sought to attract advanced air mobility companies as regulators continue to clear US airspace for air taxis, and Joby has indicated that its Dayton location could eventually generate around 2,000 jobs. Based in Manassas, Virginia, Electra has focused on increasing its engineering staff over the past year rather than expanding its manufacturing capabilities, so a plant of this magnitude would represent a significant change. The company currently employs about 90 people, distributed between Virginia and a research site in Switzerland.

      The aircraft Electra aims to produce is the EL9, a nine-seat model that the company refers to as an “ultra short” aircraft, or eSTOL. Instead of taking off vertically like an eVTOL, it utilizes eight electric propellers located along the wing to direct airflow over the surface, creating lift at very low speeds. This technique allows the EL9 to become airborne in approximately 150 feet and to operate from areas as small as 300 by 100 feet, which is about one-tenth the length of a typical runway.

      Electra claims a cruising speed of 175 knots and a maximum range of up to 1,100 nautical miles, which decreases to around 330 nautical miles when carrying nine passengers and their luggage. The power for the aircraft comes from a hybrid-electric system that uses a small turbine-driven generator to keep four battery packs charged in-flight, thus avoiding the weight of large batteries that limit all-electric designs. Safran agreed in July to develop and manufacture its TG600 turbogenerator for the aircraft, while Evolito is providing the electric motors.

      At approximately 55 decibels on the ground, Electra contends that the EL9 is quiet enough to operate near residential and commercial areas. The company has marketed hybrid-electric aircraft as a means to significantly increase regional air travel in the US, estimating that domestic demand could reach around 16,000 such aircraft in the future.

      Electra has attracted an unusually wide range of investors, including Lockheed Martin Ventures, which led an initial funding round, as well as Honeywell, Safran, Prysm Capital, and Norway’s Statkraft Ventures. In a Series B funding round in 2025, Electra raised $115 million.

      While there is substantial interest in orders on paper, with Electra stating that it has around 2,200 letters of intent from over 50 operators — valued at close to $9 billion — the lack of binding commitments remains a challenge. Notable customers include Bristow Group, JSX, Blade India, and Surf Air, with additional interest from NASA and military branches including the US Air Force, Army, and Navy. This interest significantly surpasses the order books of many battery-only competitors, but transforming these letters into actual passengers has proven difficult across the industry.

      Much of the demand is predicated on the EL9's ability to serve small airfields that airlines have abandoned for decades, opening up numerous routes that jet aircraft cannot feasibly fly. However, it’s important to note that letters of intent are not firm orders, and the EL9 has yet to make its maiden flight. Electra has successfully flown a smaller two-seat demonstrator that achieved takeoffs well below 200 feet and recently conducted what it described as the first urban flight of a hybrid-electric ultra-short aircraft in downtown Charleston, South Carolina. Nevertheless, the full-scale version of the aircraft is not expected to take to the skies until 2027.

      FAA certification under Part 23 regulations is anticipated towards the end of the decade, with commercial service slated for around 2029 or 2030. Establishing a factory in Ohio would provide Electra with the necessary industrial foundation to transition its order pipeline into actual deliveries, assuming the projected timeline is maintained and the $850 million investment, along with the associated job creation, withstands the typical challenges faced in turning aviation ambitions into operational production.