Electric aviation isn’t science fiction anymore. While most of us still associate electric motors with cars, a British company based in Oxfordshire is quietly revolutionising how aircraft could fly. Evolito is developing electric propulsion systems that are making sustainable flight not just possible, but practical.
Founded as a spin-out from YASA, the automotive electric motor pioneer acquired by Mercedes-Benz in 2021, Evolito has taken axial-flux motor technology and adapted it for aerospace applications. The result? Electric motors that are smaller, lighter, and more powerful than anything else available for aircraft. This isn’t incremental improvement. It’s the kind of breakthrough that enables entirely new types of flying machines.
With major partnerships already secured, manufacturing capacity ramping up, and UK regulatory approval in hand, Evolito is positioning itself at the forefront of the electric aviation revolution. Here’s everything you need to know about this British aerospace innovator.
What Does Evolito Actually Make?
At its core, Evolito designs and manufactures electric propulsion systems specifically for aircraft. This isn’t just about motors. The company provides integrated solutions that include axial-flux electric motors, motor controller units, and battery management systems. Think of it as the complete electric powertrain for planes, helicopters, and other flying vehicles.
Axial-Flux Technology Explained
The secret sauce is axial-flux motor technology. Without getting too deep into engineering, traditional electric motors have components that rotate around a central axis, with magnetic fields flowing radially. Axial-flux motors are different. The magnetic flux flows parallel to the axis of rotation, which creates a flatter, disc-shaped motor rather than a cylindrical one.
Why does this matter? Axial-flux designs deliver significantly higher torque and power density. They’re lighter and more compact while producing the same or better performance. In aviation, where every kilogram counts and space is precious, these advantages are transformational. Evolito inherited this technology from YASA, which spent years perfecting it for electric vehicles before the aerospace spin-out was created.
The D250 Motor: Evolito’s Flagship Product
Evolito’s D250 electric motor showcases exactly what this technology can do. The motor delivers 240kW of peak power while weighing just 13kg. That translates to an industry-leading power density of 18.5kW per kilogram. To put that in perspective, it’s among the smallest and lightest motors in its class, yet it doesn’t sacrifice performance.
This combination of compact size and high output opens up aircraft designs that simply weren’t feasible before. Distributed electric propulsion, where multiple smaller motors replace fewer large engines, becomes practical. Electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft can achieve the power-to-weight ratios they need. Even hybrid-electric systems benefit from having lightweight electric components that don’t eat into payload capacity.
Evolito’s Manufacturing and Production Capacity
Technology is one thing. Being able to manufacture at scale is quite another. Evolito operates from a purpose-built 40,000 square foot facility in Bicester, Oxfordshire. This isn’t a research lab or a prototype workshop. It’s a proper manufacturing and testing facility designed for production volume.
The Bicester site has the capacity to produce up to 20,000 electric propulsion units per year. That might not sound like automotive volumes, but in aerospace terms, it’s substantial. Most aircraft manufacturers work in hundreds or low thousands of units annually. Having this level of production capacity ready means Evolito can support multiple aircraft programmes simultaneously as they move from development into commercial production.
The facility combines manufacturing with extensive testing capabilities. Electric motors for aviation need to be validated under conditions that replicate flight environments, including temperature extremes, vibration, and altitude simulation. Having these capabilities in-house accelerates development and ensures quality control.
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Major Partnerships Driving Commercial Success
Evolito has secured partnerships with some of the most innovative aircraft manufacturers working on next-generation designs. These aren’t just letters of intent or memorandums of understanding. They’re actual supply agreements for production aircraft.
Flying Whales: Powering Sustainable Cargo Airships
Perhaps the most striking partnership is with Flying Whales, a company developing large capacity airships for heavy cargo transport. The LCA60T airship is a genuinely massive aircraft, measuring 200 meters in length and designed to carry up to 60 tonnes of cargo. Each airship will be powered by 32 of Evolito’s D250 motors.
Flying Whales selected Evolito specifically because of the exceptional power and torque density of the D250. When you’re designing an airship, weight is absolutely critical to payload capacity. Vincent Guibout, CEO of Flying Whales, highlighted that Evolito demonstrated the ability to deliver best-in-class power density along with the production capacity to meet their forecast requirements.
The first LCA60T test flight is scheduled for 2027, with entry into service expected in 2028. This partnership demonstrates that electric propulsion is viable for serious commercial cargo operations, not just short-range passenger flights or urban air mobility concepts.
Electra.aero: Hybrid-Electric STOL Aircraft
Evolito is also supplying electric engines for Electra.aero’s EL9 aircraft, an ultra-short take-off and landing design using hybrid-electric propulsion. The EL9 represents a different approach to electric aviation, using electric motors for distributed propulsion while a conventional engine generates electricity. This hybrid architecture extends range while still gaining the aerodynamic benefits of multiple electric motors.
VÆRIDION: Regional Electric Aviation
The partnership with VÆRIDION involves integrating Evolito’s motors into the Microliner aircraft. VÆRIDION is targeting regional aviation routes with a fully electric aircraft design. These partnerships across different aircraft types, from airships to hybrid STOL planes to pure electric regional aircraft, demonstrate the versatility of Evolito’s propulsion technology.
Leadership and Company Background
Evolito is led by Dr. Chris Harris, who serves as CEO and co-founder. Harris brings deep expertise in electric motor technology, having been instrumental in developing the axial-flux technology during his time at YASA. His vision has been to take automotive electric motor innovations and apply them to the unique challenges of aerospace.
The company’s roots in YASA are significant. YASA pioneered axial-flux motors for high-performance electric vehicles and proved the technology at scale before being acquired by Mercedes-Benz in 2021 for its electric motor expertise. Evolito was spun out to focus exclusively on aerospace applications, where the performance requirements and certification processes are entirely different from automotive.
This automotive heritage matters because the automotive industry has spent billions developing electric propulsion over the past decade. Evolito benefits from mature technology that’s been proven in demanding applications, then adapts it for the even more stringent requirements of flight.
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Regulatory Approval and Certification
One of Evolito’s most significant achievements is regulatory progress. In 2023, the company received Design Organisation Approval from the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority. This was the UK’s first DOA granted for electric propulsion systems, marking a genuine milestone for the British electric aviation industry.
Design Organisation Approval means the CAA has assessed and approved Evolito’s design processes, quality systems, and technical capabilities. It’s a crucial step towards type certification of actual aircraft using Evolito’s motors. For aircraft manufacturers like Flying Whales, working with a DOA-approved supplier reduces certification risk and cost.
Evolito is also working towards Production Organisation Approval and ISO9001 certification. POA is the next regulatory milestone, allowing the company to manufacture certified aircraft components. ISO9001 provides internationally recognised quality management standards. Together, these certifications give aircraft manufacturers confidence that Evolito can deliver production-ready components that will pass regulatory scrutiny.
Funding and Investment Backing
Evolito is a privately held company backed by strategic investors who understand both deep technology and the long development cycles of aerospace. The investor group includes B-Flexion, Oxford Science Enterprises, and HostPlus.
Oxford Science Enterprises is particularly notable. OSE specialises in commercialising technology developed at the University of Oxford and has a track record of backing breakthrough scientific companies. Their involvement suggests confidence in both the technology and the commercial opportunity.
While specific funding amounts haven’t been publicly disclosed, the fact that Evolito has built a 40,000 square foot manufacturing facility and is scaling up production indicates substantial financial backing. Aerospace is capital intensive, requiring significant investment before revenue starts flowing from production contracts.
The investor mix of venture capital and strategic backers provides both the patient capital needed for aerospace development and the expertise to navigate the industry’s complexities.
The Market Opportunity for Electric Aviation
Electric and hybrid-electric aviation represents a massive market opportunity. Airlines are under pressure to reduce emissions, with aviation accounting for roughly 2-3% of global CO2 emissions. Governments are setting increasingly strict environmental targets. Passengers are considering environmental impact when choosing flights.
Urban air mobility, using electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles for short urban trips, could create an entirely new market. Companies around the world are developing eVTOL aircraft for air taxi services. Regional aviation routes under 500 miles are prime candidates for electric or hybrid-electric aircraft. Cargo operations, especially in remote areas with limited infrastructure, could benefit from electric flight’s lower operating costs.
Evolito isn’t trying to electrify long-haul aviation, where current battery technology simply doesn’t provide the energy density needed. Instead, the company is focusing on applications where electric propulsion offers real advantages today: shorter ranges, vertical take-off requirements, distributed propulsion benefits, and operations where noise reduction matters.
Technical Advantages That Set Evolito Apart
Several factors distinguish Evolito from competitors in the electric aviation propulsion space. The power density of 18.5kW per kilogram is genuinely class-leading. Most electric motors for aviation struggle to exceed 12-15kW/kg. That extra performance makes marginal aircraft designs viable and good designs better.
The axial-flux architecture is inherently more robust than alternative designs. Fewer moving parts and a simpler mechanical structure improve reliability, which is mission-critical in aviation. You can’t pull over to the side of the road if an aircraft motor fails.
Evolito’s production capacity sets it apart from research-focused competitors. Many companies can build impressive prototype motors. Scaling to thousands of units annually with consistent quality is far harder. Evolito has solved manufacturing challenges that others are still working through.
The regulatory progress gives Evolito a head start. Certification is one of the biggest barriers in aerospace. Having Design Organisation Approval while competitors are still preparing their first submissions provides a meaningful competitive advantage.
What’s Next for Evolito?
Upcoming developments include:
- Flying Whales test flights in 2027
- Progress on aircraft certification programmes
- Additional partnerships
- Achieving further regulatory milestones
Evolito is a leading player in electric aviation, combining proven technology, aerospace engineering, manufacturing capability and regulatory readiness. With major aircraft programmes underway, it is well positioned to help bring electric flight into mainstream aviation.