Photo: Electra.aero
The EL9 can take off and land in spaces as short as 150 feet.
Electra has secured $115 million in Series B funding to advance its nine-passenger EL9 aircraft into the pre-production and certification stage. The investment round was led by Prysm Capital, whose co-founder Jay Park has joined Electra’s board of directors.
Electra board chair John Langford says: “We are delighted to welcome Jay and Prysm to the Electra family. They’ve already become an indispensable partner and advisor as we transition from prototype to product with the EL9.”
By combining blown lift technology with hybrid-electric propulsion, the EL9 Ultra Short aircraft enables helicopter-style landings in as little as 150 feet while delivering the range, safety and cost-efficiency of a fixed-wing platform. With up to 3,000 pounds of payload and a range of 1,100 nautical miles, it recharges in flight and requires no ground charging infrastructure.
Electra CEO Marc Allen says: “The EL9 Ultra Short opens the door to opportunities to establish new commercial routes, connect communities currently lacking aviation infrastructure, and enable entirely novel logistics capabilities for warfighters. We look forward to working with our partners at Prysm to continue the development of this aircraft and chart a new course for aviation.”
Over 2,200 provisional orders valued at more than $10 billion have been placed for the EL9. Its dual-use performance has also attracted more than 20 SBIR contracts from the US Air Force, Army, Navy and NASA, alongside a Strategic Funding Increase contract focused on military use cases.
Jay Park of Prysm Capital adds: “The EL9 is the flagship of Electra’s future family of aircraft that will transform aviation with hybrid-electric technology. We are excited to partner with Marc, John and the team in their commitment to innovating and expanding air mobility solutions.”
Other investors include Lockheed Martin Ventures, Honeywell, Safran, Statkraft Ventures and the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation. Electra now employs around 80 staff and positions itself as the category creator in Ultra Short aviation.
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| Honeywell Aerospace | Air Conditioning Equipment, Air Conditioning Equipment, Air Data Computers, Air Purification Systems, Airborne Communication Systems, Airspeed Indicators, Angle of Attack Indicators, Attitude and Heading Reference Systems, Automatic Direction Finders, Automatic Flight Control Systems, Autopilots, Avionics Management Systems, Bleed Air Systems, Cabin Management Systems, Cabin Pressure Control Systems, Cargo Systems, Cockpit Control Systems, Cockpit Printers, Cockpit Video Displays, Collision Avoidance Systems/TCAS, Cooling Systems, Distance Measuring Equipment, Electric Power Controllers, Electromagnetic Test Services, Electronic Flight Instrument Systems, Emergency Locator Transmitters, Engine Parts, Enhanced Vision Systems (EVS), Environmental Testing Services, Fibre Optic Gyroscopes, Flight Management Systems, Flight Recorders, Fly-by-Wire Systems, Fuel Tanks & Systems, Glide Slope Receivers, GPS, Heading Indicators, Horizontal Situation Indicator, IFF Interrogators, Inertial Components & Systems, Inflight Entertainment, LCD Displays, Magnetometers, Moving Maps, Multi-Mode Receivers (MMR), Onboard Intercom Systems, Pneumatic Systems Equipment, Precoolers, Proximity Sensors, Radar Transponders, Radar/Radio Altimeters, Radio Communications Equipment, Starter Generators, Terrain Awareness and Warning Systems, Testing Services, Transceivers, VOR (Omnirange) Receivers, WAAS Equipment, Weapons Countermeasures, Weather Mapping Radar |
| Lockheed Martin Corporation | |
| Electra.aero | Airframer |
| Safran Group | |
| Related aircraft programs: |
| Electra.aero eSTOL |
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