In Hayward, the aircraft will be partially disassembled for shipment to Hawaiʻi. The Hawaiʻi
flight trials are funded in part by Elemental Excelerator, a global climate-tech accelerator based
in Honolulu.
The Electric EEL can generate fuel and emissions savings up to 50 percent on shorter regional
routes where the aircraft’s electrical propulsion unit can be run at high power settings, and
generate savings of about 30 percent on longer regional routes such as the Camarillo to
Hayward flight.
“The Electric EEL is our first step in pioneering new electric aircraft designs,” said Ampaire CEO Noertker. “Our next step will likely be a 19-seat hybrid electric retrofit program that will lower emissions and operating costs, benefiting regional carriers, their passengers and their communities.” Ampaire, with funding from NASA and others, is in the midst of design studies for such an aircraft based on the popular de Havilland Twin Otter aircraft. Ampaire has named the hybrid-electric 19-seater aircraft the Eco Otter SX.