Elysian Aircraft Plans on Pushing the Limits

Company believes other electric aircraft developers should dream bigger.

Jack Daleo

Thursday, September 18, 2025 at 08:00 AM ET

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Jack Daleo

Elysian Aviation projects its all-electric E9X will have a range of 800 kilometers with 90 passengers at launch, targeted for the early 2030s. [Courtesy: Elysian Aviation]

Key Takeaways:

Elysian Aircraft is developing the E9X, a 90-passenger electric regional airliner, challenging the conventional wisdom that zero-emission aircraft must be small and short-range.
The "bigger is better" concept involves designing a larger airframe to accommodate the weight of batteries, aiming for a significant range of 800 km (432 nm) by the early next decade.
Elysian believes the E9X will offer a strong business case for regional routes, being cost-competitive with existing turboprops and narrowbodies while providing decarbonization benefits.
The project relies on advancements in battery technology (e.g., 300 Wh/kg), plans for swappable battery packs, and is progressing towards certification with EASA in collaboration with partners like KLM and Fokker Services Group.

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Electric aircraft offer a simple proposition: decarbonization, a goal for airlines and operators large and small worldwide.

Given the energy density limitations of today’s aviation batteries, zero-emission flight is expected to come at the expense of range and capacity. But according to Daniel Rosen Jacobson, cofounder, co-CEO, and chief business officer of Elysian Aircraft, it doesn’t have to be that way.