Ohio Factory to Build 800 Electric Planes a Year by 2030s

Springfield, Ohio just landed one of the biggest manufacturing wins in American aviation, and it's powered by batteries and hope.

Electra is building an $850 million factory to produce its EL9 hybrid-electric aircraft, creating nearly 2,000 jobs in Clark County. The 96-acre facility will eventually churn out 800 planes per year, each capable of taking off in just 150 feet.

That's shorter than half a football field. The EL9 can launch from parking lots, barges, and sports fields instead of traditional airports.

Here's the gutsy part: the plane hasn't flown yet. Electra expects the first flight in late 2027 or early 2028, but they're building the factory now because the orders keep rolling in.

The company has more than 2,200 letters of intent from 60-plus commercial customers, plus commitments from the US Air Force, Army, Navy, and NASA. That adds up to $9 billion in pre-orders for an aircraft still earning its wings on paper.

Springfield beat out 140 other locations during a year-long search. The city offers more than low land costs and Midwest work ethic.

The airport sits next to the National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence and already hosts FAA-approved testing for next-generation aircraft. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the Air Force Research Laboratory are nearby, creating one of the deepest pools of aerospace talent in America.

The EL9 isn't a battery-only air taxi like the ones Joby and Archer are racing to launch. It's a nine-passenger fixed-wing plane with a hybrid engine that extends range without waiting for a battery breakthrough.

A Safran turbogenerator charges the battery and feeds electric propellers mounted along the wing's leading edge. Those propellers blow air over oversized flaps, creating enough lift to take off in tiny spaces.

Electra calls it "Direct Aviation," skipping congested airports for point-to-point hops between 50 and 250 miles. The company claims the EL9 offers 2.5 times the payload and 10 times the range of helicopters at 70% lower operating cost.

The Ripple Effect

This factory represents more than jobs and economic investment. It's a signal that quiet, electric regional flight is moving from concept to reality.

Towns like Springfield could become hubs connecting rural communities without airport access to regional medical centers, business districts, and family across state lines. The technology sidesteps the certification headaches facing vertical takeoff competitors by using established FAA rules for small fixed-wing aircraft.

Electra raised $115 million in 2025 with backing from Honeywell, Safran, and Lockheed Martin Ventures. Bristow Group already put down a non-refundable deposit for the first delivery slot.

Governor Mike DeWine called the investment "transformative for Clark County," and he's not overselling it. Construction begins next year, with the first phase supporting 400 aircraft annually before doubling capacity.

By the 2030s, cleaner skies and quieter engines could be taking off right from your town.