Hybrid-electric aviation gets $300m boost as GE Aerospace joins forces with BETA Technologies
September 4, 2025
GE Aerospace is placing a major bet on the future of hybrid-electric aviation, teaming up with BETA Technologies to co-develop a next-generation turbogenerator system aimed at unlocking greater range, speed, and payload for advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft.
As part of the partnership, GE is also making a $300 million equity investment in the Vermont-based electric aviation company, signalling not just financial backing, but a strategic shift toward scalable, hybrid-electric solutions for both civil and defence applications.
A hybrid-electric solution for battery-electric limits
The joint effort will centre on the development of a hybrid-electric turbogenerator, designed to power long-range vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft and other AAM platforms.
This system aims to address the key operational limitations faced by current battery-electric aircraft, including short range, limited payload, and reliance on fixed charging infrastructure.
By pairing GE Aerospace’s turbine and certification expertise with BETA’s electric propulsion and power systems, the new system will generate onboard electrical power using fuel-based turbine technology. This extends mission range and enhances performance in ways that pure-electric aircraft cannot currently achieve.
Unlike many early AAM efforts focused on short-haul urban taxi services, the GE–BETA partnership is targeting a more versatile segment that demands higher endurance, flexible deployment, and faster turnarounds, particularly in regions or missions where recharging is impractical.
Built on proven platforms and real-world flight data
The turbogenerator will draw on GE Aerospace’s CT7 and T700 engine families, which have logged millions of flight hours across military and civilian fleets. These platforms provide a proven foundation for hybridisation, supporting both reliability and regulatory pathways for certification.
BETA Technologies brings complementary expertise through its ALIA electric aircraft, which the company says has logged more electric flight time than any other platform in its category. Its propulsion and battery systems, developed entirely in-house, have been tested in diverse conditions in both the US and Europe.
Most recently, ALIA has been central to an international test arena for zero- and low-emission aviation in Norway, led by Avinor, the Civil Aviation Authority of Norway, BETA, and Bristow Norway.
In September 2025, a Bristow pilot completed the first full-route cargo simulation between Stavanger and Bergen using ALIA — a 160 km sector well within the aircraft’s 400 km ultimate range. With a payload capacity of 562 kg (equivalent to five passengers) and cruise speeds of 115–145 knots, ALIA demonstrated performance comparable to a light aircraft while operating with zero in-flight emissions.
“This route makes up the cornerstone of this test arena and simulating a cargo mission on the full route was an important, and symbolic, first step in what will be several months of gathering critical data,” said Bristow EVP Dave Stepanek.
BETA’s Chief Revenue Officer Shawn Hall called the flights “critical for capturing the real-world data needed to understand how electric aircraft can operate effectively in this unique landscape.”
The programme runs in three phases through January 2026, gradually progressing from visual flights to full instrument flight operations. Avinor EVP Karianne Helland Strand described it as “an important milestone for Norway as an international test arena,” while CAA Norway has praised the safe and professional conduct of all parties involved.
This structured, regulator-backed trial strengthens BETA’s case that its systems are not only technically advanced but operationally credible; a distinction that gives weight to the GE–BETA collaboration.
Why the GE Aerospace–BETA Technologies partnership stands out
Several aerospace companies are exploring hybrid propulsion, but the GE–BETA collaboration stands out in a few ways:
- It combines turbine and electric technologies at commercial scale, using proven GE engines as the baseline for the hybrid system.
- It targets higher-endurance aircraft, not just short-range urban mobility use cases.
- It includes a strategic equity stake, with GE taking a board seat at BETA.
- It builds on BETA’s operational experience, with validated systems and international test data rather than early-stage prototypes.
Strategic implications for advanced air mobility and zero-emission aviation
The AAM sector is entering a decisive phase as developers move from prototype testing to early operational readiness. While battery-electric aircraft are suited to short, high-frequency missions, hybrid systems are increasingly seen as essential for markets requiring longer range, such as:
- Intercity and regional passenger transport
- Cargo delivery to remote or austere locations
- Military operations with extended endurance requirements
- Emergency services and disaster response
Hybrid-electric aircraft offer reduced fuel burn and lower emissions compared to conventional turbines, without being constrained by battery weight and energy density.
GE Aerospace has already demonstrated megawatt-class hybrid-electric propulsion in altitude tests simulating single-aisle flight at up to 45,000 feet. Now, with BETA’s operational insights and flight data, the partners aim to turn that technology into certifiable products for both civil and defence markets.
As part of the deal, GE Aerospace will appoint a representative to BETA’s board of directors, reinforcing the long-term nature of the partnership and aligning strategic priorities.
BETA CEO Kyle Clark described the collaboration as a meeting of “engineering-led organisations committed to rigorous aerospace development.” GE Aerospace Chairman and CEO H. Lawrence Culp, Jr. said the partnership is intended to expand hybrid-electric capabilities that provide “more range, payload, and optimised engine and aircraft performance.”
