Electric aviation in California: What is real and when will it happen?

By Eliot Lees, Dan Wolf, Alex Wilcox, Sam Pournazeri, Omer Bar-Yohay, Kyle Clark, and Chris Watson
Apr 5, 2021
1 MIN. READ
Electric aviation has the potential to fundamentally change aviation economics, energy requirements, and the environmental footprint of air travel. And while it has long been considered a future technology, short-haul passenger and cargo electric aircraft are here—and the segment is developing rapidly.

California is in the early stages of planning its first electric aviation commercial routes, with an anticipated launch within the next few years. What are the challenges and opportunities in the field, and what will it take to make a successful leap into clean aviation? 

Hear from a group of experts who are actively working on the commercial launch of electric aviation and advanced urban mobility. The conversation covers topics such as:
  • An overview of electric aviation and updates on the California market.
  • The role that California utilities, airports, regulators, and other key stakeholders can play in shaping the decarbonized future of aviation.
  • A breakdown of original equipment manufacturing (OEM) development in this segment.
  • Ground infrastructure requirements for successful clean aviation.
 
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Meet the authors
  1. Eliot Lees, Vice President and Managing Director, Clean Transportation

    Eliot specializes in aviation due diligence, valuation, business planning, and infrastructure-related development. View bio

  2. Dan Wolf, Founder & CEO, Cape Air
  3. Alex Wilcox, CEO, JSX Airline
  4. Sam Pournazeri, Manager, California Air Resource Board
  5. Omer Bar-Yohay, Co-founder & CEO, Eviation Aircraft
  6. Kyle Clark, Founder & CEO, BETA Technologies
  7. Chris Watson, Portfolio Director, Electrification

    Chris is an expert in the energy, renewables, and energy efficiency sector with over 20 years of experience. View bio