Meet Maeve Jet – the new 80-seat hybrid electric aircraft for regional aviation
September 14, 2025
With the evolution of tomorrow’s aircraft gathering pace, paired with alternative fuel sources and new powerplant types, several companies are seeking to take full advantage of the opportunities that may arise.
One such company is the European start-up MAEVE, which is busy designing its 80-seat regional jet, to be called the Maeve Jet MJ500. Maeve’s vision is to make aviation sustainable for millions of travellers and to reduce more than 50 metric tons of carbon dioxide from commercial airline routes by 2040.
Maeve’s strategy is to “develop a globally competitive aircraft family compatible with existing infrastructure, setting new standards in energy efficiency and economics.”
With its hybrid electric engines and sleek design, MAEVE’s latest Maeve Jet aircraft is being lined up to revolutionise the regional airline industry. But who exactly is MAEVE Aerospace, and what role will its aircraft have in the future of regional passenger aviation?
The MAEVE Aerospace story so far
MAEVE Aerospace is a European start-up in the development of sustainable and economic aircraft designs. With offices in Delft, The Netherlands, and Munich, Germany, the company was founded in 2021 to revolutionise the regional aircraft industry.
MAEVE is supported by private investors, the Government of the Netherlands, and the European Investment Council (EIC)
The company initially began designing a 44 to 52-seat regional aircraft in 2023. Called the Maeve 01, the early design was a high-wing monoplane with all-electric propulsion, including eight electric motors placed on the leading edge of the wings.
Initially expected to enter service in 2029, the model was initially marketed as offering a range of 288 miles (or 460km) on a single charge.
MAEVE Aerospace was positioning the Maeve01 as a zero-emissions aircraft to replace older ATR42s and DHC-8s and promised that it would be possible to fully recharge the aircraft in just 35 minutes.
Then, in late 2023, with the further development of hybrid electric propulsion systems, the company revealed its plans had morphed into developing an 80-seat hybrid-electric regional aircraft.
MAEVE said its new ‘M80’ aircraft had the potential to replace both turboprops and regional jets in the short-haul commercial airline arena. Images portrayed the M80 as a high-wing aircraft with a pair of wing-mounted hybrid turboprop engines and featuring a T-tail style design.
With the switch to hybrid-electric technology with the M80, the company said that the move would push the expected entry into service of its flagship aircraft back by two years to 2031.
But in return, the new aircraft would offer almost double the capacity of its predecessor, the Maeve01, and would also offer additional capability by increasing the range of the aircraft to around 800 nautical miles (1,482 km).
According to MAEVE’s website about the M80 model, “the M80 offers the performance of a jet and the efficiency of a turboprop, a game-changing combination.
“The M80 is a clean-sheet design with a newly integrated hybrid propulsion system, resulting in a significant reduction of mission energy and fuel consumption. This makes the Maeve Jet the perfect replacement for both the regional jets and turboprops.”
“To my knowledge, there are currently no alternatives in development that are equally sustainable, cost-effective, and match the operational needs of airlines and airports,” adds Martin Nuesseler, Chief Technology Officer at Maeve Aerospace in 2023.
“If there are, I would applaud them, because we need more of these realistic solutions to become sustainable”.
The M80 transforms into the Maeve Jet MJ500
In June 2025, MAEVE issued a new statement revealing that, following advice and guidance from its partners, it had completely resigned the M80, which had now become the Maeve Jet MJ500.
The aircraft was by this stage had now become a low-wing aircraft with two aft-mounted open-rotor/stator engines with a two-propeller style design.
According to the company, the new design of the Maeve Jet features reduced cabin noise, achieved by mounting small-diameter propulsors at the rear fuselage and a low wing to compensate for weight distribution.
While hybrid designs are not entirely emission-free, MAEVE claims that its Maeve Jet will consume 40% less energy than a traditional airliner of a similar size, such as the Bombardier CRJ900.
The company added that the Maeve Jet’s clean-sheet design and engine thermal optimization when operating at high altitude are also expected to contribute towards its overall energy efficiency.
Specifications for the Maeve Jet hybrid-electric regional aircraft
According to the company’s own published figures, the Maeve Jet has a Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) of 34,000 kg (74,956 lbs) and offers a maximum payload of 9,700 kg (21,385 lbs)
Operators of the Maeve Jet will have the capability of flying sectors up to 1,450 nautical miles (2,685 km) with a load of 76 passengers in a three-class configuration, which decreases to 950 nautical miles (1,759 km) operating with 90 passengers in a two-class layout.
The Maeve Jet is being designed to cruise at a maximum speed of 0.78 Mach, although normal operations will see the aircraft travel at 0.75 Mach. The Maximum Operating Altitude of the Maeve Jet will be 37,000 ft (11,277m).
In terms of runway performance, a Maeve Jet at MTOW will have a take-off run distance of 4,921 ft (1,500 meters) and a landing field length of 1,759 km (1,400meters).
While the aircraft is marketed as an 80-seater in a mixed configuration, the aircraft can accommodate up to 100 passengers in a single-class configuration.
More details about the hybrid-electric engines
At the Farnborough Air Show in July 2024, Maeve announced a major tie-up with RTX’s Pratt & Whitney Canada to collaborate on the design of the powerplants for Maeve Jet’s predecessor, the M80.
“As a clean sheet design, the performance and efficiency of the M80 will be a game changer for the regional aviation market, combining advanced aerodynamics and a disruptive propulsion technology,” said Martin Nuesseler in July 2024.
“Working together with Pratt & Whitney Canada at this stage of the programme will enable us to validate and optimise the design of the aircraft and hybrid-electric propulsion system, tapping into the full potential of this promising new technology.”
“Reaching the ambitious goals of reducing emissions and making aviation more sustainable will depend on combined efforts to accelerate technology innovation and drive collaboration across our industry,” responded Anthony Rossi, vice president, global sales and marketing, Pratt & Whitney Canada.
“It’s in this spirit that we will collaborate with Maeve, leveraging our growing expertise in sustainable propulsion technologies, as well as our unrivalled experience powering the regional aviation market for four decades.”
MAEVE states in its own publicity that the newly-launched Maeve Jet will feature two hybrid-electric powerplants with ’rotor swirl recovery vanes’ and continues to develop these engines in conjunction with Pratt & Whitney Canada.
Recent developments for MAEVE Aerospace
Following the announcement with Pratt & Whitney Canada on powerplant development, MAEVE revealed in November 2024 that it had entered into an agreement with Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries-Regional Jet Aviation Group (MHIRJ), where the companies agreed to cooperate with respect to the development of the Maeve Jet.
Under the agreement, MHIRJ will provide collaborative guidance in engineering and advisory services from MHIRJ’s team of regional aviation specialists.
More recently still, in June 2025, Japan Airlines (JAL) became the first major airline to come on board with the Maeve Jet project. With MAEVE, JAL Engineering signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on the development of the Maeve Jet.
The partnership aims to “play a key role in optimising the aircraft’s specification and ensuring that it meets the economic and operational requirements essential for supporting the Japanese regional network,” said a MAEVE statement.
JAL is expected to contribute its expertise in areas such as aircraft design, operations, and the establishment of a customer support framework for the Maeve Jet program.
JAL is also to collaborate in developing a new aircraft design system focused on maintaining and enhancing the airworthiness and reliability of the Maeve Jet.
The long-term view is that the Maeve Jet, with its lower emissions, could play a key role in making regional airline operations throughout Japan cleaner and quieter.
“This partnership aligns with the JAL Group’s continuous commitment to revitalizing local communities while maintaining and expanding its network,” said a JAL statement.
“We are honoured to be working with Japan Airlines on this project, with whom we share the vision to develop solutions that can generate an early impact without relying only on decarbonised fuels and further investments in new infrastructure,” added MAEVE’s Martin Nuesseler.
Future aviation growth opens up potential for the Maeve Jet
The regional aircraft market is forecasted to grow well into the next two decades. This growth, according to MAEVE, will be driven by the need for larger aircraft passenger capacities in the 70-90 seat range, where incumbent aircraft are aging and there has not been a new aircraft in this range for many years.
Meanwhile, increasing globalisation, industrial growth, and rising volumes of air traffic are continuing to drive record levels of carbon dioxide and non-carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere.
Along with its green credentials and lower operating costs than a conventional jet, MAEVE’s strategy is to access this market with a clean sheet aircraft design “that sets new standards in sustainability and economics.”
MAEVE is targeting the Maeve Jet’s first flight for late 2029, followed by an entry-into-service for late 2032 or early 2033. This will follow an integrated product development plan based on the company’s experience and certification process.
“At MAEVE, we believe efficiency is the most powerful lever for sustainable aviation. Our next-generation aircraft reduces fuel consumption and emissions by 40% using conventional fuel, and by up to 95% when operating with Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).”
“The energy efficiency not only cuts environmental impact but also lowers operating costs, making SAF-powered operations economically viable for airlines and accessible for passengers,” concludes the company.
