Electric Aircraft

Ever been stuck in traffic and wished you could simply fly above it all, straight to your destination? Well, that dream is one step closer to reality, as the world's first airport for flying taxis has just received regulatory approval.

Another record falls as the world's largest all-electric airplane makes its maiden flight. On August 12, 2026, Heart Aerospace's 25,000-lb (11,340-kg) X1 demonstrator aircraft took to the skies over Plattsburgh, New York for a 27-minute FAA flight test.

Electric flight seems to be all the rage, but its place in the aviation market has yet to be worked out. We talked to Ralph Müller, CEO of H2Fly, to discuss the state of play of electric aircraft, hybrid hydrogen fuel, and the future of the industry.

A crewed aircraft named the Helios Horizon has flown on solid-state batteries for the first time, logging a 60% energy density leap over lithium-ion that could finally make commercial electric aviation a reality.

Nearly three years after China began certifying next-gen electric "air taxis" for commercial flights, American contenders are still battling red tape with the FAA – but a new accelerator program will get them airborne across the USA this summer.

If you have a regional turboprop aircraft and wish that it was a bit more hybirdy, RTX may be able to accommodate you. The company is developing a combined thermal/electric propulsion system that not only increases efficiency but can be retrofitted into existing aircraft.

A hybrid-electric jet engine may seem as absurd as a horse-drawn Zeppelin, but GE Aerospace is ground testing a new megawatt-class hybrid turbofan engine and its full powertrain that is powerful enough to run a medium-haul narrow-body airliner.

Xpeng's AeroHT flying car unit has rebranded after an embarrassing air show fireball, and the Chinese company has announced a very Joby-esque long-range, high-speed air taxi to go along with some of its more bizarre offerings.

What could be better than strapping yourself into your own personal electric flyer? Racing with some buddies of course, and that's coming closer with the unveiling of the Jetson Air Games concept recently. Strap in, and join us for a demo vid.

Another air record has been (unofficially) broken as a prop-driven solar/electric aircraft reached the highest altitude yet for its type. On August 12, 2025, a modified Elektra One reached 31,237 feet (9,521 m) in the skies over Switzerland.

Electra is building an aircraft that can take off and land using an airfield that's one-tenth the size of a standard runway. To demonstrate "blown lift" aero and hybrid-electric propulsion capabilities, the EL2 prototype has just aced test flights.

BETA Technologies has delivered its ALIA CX300 electric CTOL to the company's first customer. The short-hop passenger aircraft will now be used to evaluate use cases and possible routes for zero-emission operation in the Nordic region.