Regional Electric Aircraft

battery · hydrogen · hybrid · airlines

Battery-only regional airliners have stalled; the live programs carry a generator or a fuel cell. Hybrid-electric is how regional aviation electrifies this decade.

Regional programs by powertrain in three rows. Battery-electric: Eviation Alice (nine seats, paused) and Elysian E9X (90 seats, concept). Hydrogen fuel cell: ZeroAvia ZA600 (Dornier 228 and Cessna Caravan) and Universal Hydrogen (40 seats, closed). Hybrid-electric: Heart ES-36 (36 seats, 200 km electric and 1,200 km hybrid) and Electra EL9 (nine seats, eSTOL). REGIONAL PROGRAMS BY POWERTRAIN Battery-electric Eviation Alice 9 seats, paused Elysian E9X 90 seats, concept Hydrogen fuel cell ZeroAvia ZA600 Do 228, Caravan Universal Hydrogen 40 seats, closed Hybrid-electric Heart ES-36 36 seats, 200/1,200 km Electra EL9 9 seats, eSTOL ES-36 range: 200 km battery-only, 1,200 km with turbogenerators.
Programs tracked
12
Battery-electric
3
Largest flown electric aircraft
Heart X1
Eviation Alice
Paused
ZeroAvia target
Powertrain certification
Hub
Vehicles

Finding

The leading regional programs have moved from battery-only to hybrid-electric or hydrogen fuel-cell electric designs, because a 30- to 40-seat airliner cannot meet airline range and reserve rules on batteries alone

Heart Aerospace dropped the 30-seat ES-30 in September 2026 for the 36-seat hybrid ES-36 (about 200 km on batteries, 1,200 km with reserves on hybrid power), with JSX committing to 50 aircraft plus rights to 50 more and service targeted for 2031; its X1 battery demonstrator flew in August 2026 at Plattsburgh, New York. Eviation, the leading battery-only nine-seat program, paused Alice and cut most staff in February 2025.

Hydrogen is the long-range bet. ZeroAvia targets 2027 certification of its 600 kW ZA600 fuel-cell powertrain and electric motor for 9- to 19-seat airframes such as the Dornier 228 and Cessna Caravan, backed by Airbus, Amazon, Breakthrough Energy, United and Alaska Airlines; Universal Hydrogen, which flew a hydrogen Dash 8, shut down in 2024. Electra's EL9 uses hybrid-electric blown-lift for short-field operation, with Bristow holding the first binding delivery slot.

Above 40 seats there is no battery program beyond Elysian's 90-seat E9X concept, and Airbus has slowed ZEROe: its 100-seat, 1,850 km fuel-cell concept sits at technology readiness level 3, with a 1.2 MW powertrain demonstrator starting tests at Ottobrunn in late 2026. China's regional-class work is state-led propulsion rather than airliners - AECC flew a 7.5-ton uncrewed hydrogen turboprop demonstrator in April 2026 - and its electric aviation effort is otherwise concentrated in eVTOL and certified trainers. The airline demand signal is Western: JSX, United, Air Canada, Alaska, American and Bristow.

Regional

Regional electric aircraft programs

Commuter and regional airliners; battery-electric first, then hydrogen fuel-cell electric and hybrid-electric.

Regional electric aircraft programs
ProgramCountryPowertrainSeats or payloadRange kmCertificationStatusLaunch operators
ZA600 (ZeroAvia)UKhydrogen fuel-cell electric9-19 seat airframes (Dornier 228, Cessna Caravan)FAA and UK CAA; powertrain certification targeted 2027activeEngine pre-orders from regional operators; American Airlines and Alaska Airlines agreements
Eco Caravan (Ampaire)UShybrid-electric9FAA supplemental type certificate in progressactive
ERA (Aura Aero)Francehybrid-electric19EASA (in development)active
EL9 (Electra.aero)UShybrid-electric9FAA Part 23 planned; EL2 demonstrator flownactiveBristow (binding, first delivery slot)
ES-36 (Heart Aerospace)UShybrid-electric361200FAA Part 25 planned; X1 battery demonstrator first flight Aug 2026; service target 2031activeJSX (50 plus 50 rights, Sep 2026); earlier ES-30 commitments from United and Air Canada
Cassio 330 (VoltAero)Francehybrid-electric5EASA certification in progressactive
E9X (Elysian Aircraft)Netherlandsbattery-electric90800Concept designconcept
Alice (Eviation)USbattery-electric9One flight (2022); no type certificatepausedCape Air; DHL (orders)
Dash 8 conversion (Universal Hydrogen)UShydrogen fuel-cell electric40Flight test 2023; company shut down 2024closedConnect Airlines (order)

Large aircraft

Large and long-haul programs

Airliner-size programs of about 100 seats and up.

Large and long-haul electric aircraft programs
ProgramCountryPowertrainSeats or payloadRange kmCertificationStatusLaunch operators
ZEROe fuel-cell concept (Airbus)Francehydrogen fuel-cell electric1001850Concept at TRL 3 (late-2025 review); 1.2 MW powertrain demonstrator testing at Ottobrunn from late 2026; program sloweddemonstrator

Cargo

Fixed-wing cargo programs

Uncrewed and light cargo airplanes on electric or hydrogen powertrains.

Fixed-wing electric and hydrogen cargo programs
ProgramCountryPowertrainSeats or payloadRange kmCertificationStatusLaunch operators
Pelican Cargo (Pyka)USbattery-electricCargo, about 180 kg classFAA experimentalactive
Hydrogen turboprop demonstrator (AECC)Chinagreen-fuel combustion7.5 t uncrewed cargo aircraftFirst flight Apr 2026 at Zhuzhou, Hunan (16 minutes, about 220 km/h)demonstrator

Sources

Sources and scope

Scope
Regional Electric Aircraft
Sources
Heart Aerospace; ZeroAvia; Electra; Eviation; Airbus; FlightGlobal; Sep-Oct 2026
Updated
October 2026