Electric Aircraft Begin Crisscrossing Hawaii’s Islands

Beta Technologies, Surf Air Mobility, and Hawaiian Airlines begin a six-to-eight-week electric aircraft trial.

Jack Daleo

Thursday, June 25, 2026 at 03:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

A Beta Technologies Alia CX300 prototype electric aircraft conducts a demonstration flight in Hawaii under a partnership with Surf Air Mobility. [Credit: Beta Technologies]

Key Takeaways:

Hawaii is conducting independent trials of Beta Technologies' CX300 electric cargo aircraft, despite not being part of the FAA's federal eVTOL Integration Pilot Program.
These trials, a collaboration between Beta Technologies, Surf Air Mobility (the launch customer for the CX300), and Hawaiian Airlines, aim to collect data on operational, economic, and infrastructure requirements for interisland electric air service.
The state is considered an ideal proving ground for commercial-scale electric aviation due to its short-haul route structure and existing demand for regional air transportation, positioning it as a potential launch market.

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In the coming months, the FAA will oversee trials of precertified electric aircraft in 26 states under its eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) Integration Pilot Program (eIPP). Hawaii is not one of them.

But the state’s residents and visitors will get a first glimpse of the technology during trial operations that began Thursday and are expected to continue for six to eight weeks.