GE Aerospace is taking a sizable stake in electric aviation company Beta Technologies, with the pair teaming up to build a hybrid-electric turbogenerator for next-gen aircraft. GE will also invest $300 million, pending regulatory approval, under a strategic deal announced Thursday.
The new partnership comes as hybrid solutions gain momentum in the advanced air mobility (AAM) space, a catch-all term to describe the next generation of aviation concepts like eVTOL, hydrogen, and so on. Aircraft makers are increasingly turning to engine hybrids, combining traditional turbines with electric power, to extend flight time or increase potential payload.
It’s an interesting partnership: GE Aerospace is a giant in the jet and turboprop engine world, while Beta is a startup known for its electric aircraft platform. But the pair bring complementary experience to the table. The new turbogenerator will leverage GE’s existing infrastructure and components from its widely used engine family, while Beta will bring expertise in high-performance electric propulsion.
GE and Beta say their hybrid system will provide greater range, payload capacity, and better aircraft performance.
Alongside the new partnership, Beta is pursuing a path to certification for its Alia aircraft, which includes a conventional take-off and landing variant and an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) variant. If this deal goes through, it will bring Beta’s total funding to $1.45 billion, and GE will join a suite of institutional investors that includes Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund and Fidelity Management & Research Company.
If approved, GE will also gain the right to designate a director to Beta’s board, another signal that the legacy engine maker is taking seriously the new rise of hybrid-electric architectures.
