Evolito: powering aviation’s electric revolution

Management

Sponsored by Evolito

In a quiet corner of Oxfordshire, a British engineering start-up is quietly building proof that electric flight is not just possible, but can be commercially compelling. Evolito, spun out of electric‑motor pioneer YASA in 2021, has spent the past few years turning cutting‑edge axial‑flux motors into aerospace‑ready powertrains.

Those motors, already proven in the automotive world with Ferrari and Mercedes-Benz, are smaller, lighter and more efficient than traditional engine designs. Now, Evolito is applying that technology to aviation, where weight and reliability are everything. Its motors powered Rolls-Royce’s Spirit of Innovation, the record-breaking electric aircraft that topped 300 mph, and have since been selected for next-generation programmes from hybrid regional planes to heavy-lift airships.

What’s changed from the early experimental days is that Evolito is now firmly on the commercial map, endorsed by partners, regulators, investors and industry awards. It is no longer merely a promising technology project. It’s a fast‑growing, certified manufacturer with firm production commitments.

“Electric flight requires ultra-high-power-density, super-low-weight electric powertrains,” says Dr Chris Harris, Evolito’s CEO. “Our technology has already proven itself in the toughest automotive environments. Now we’re bringing that advantage to aerospace – helping our customers make sustainable flight a reality.”

Image credit: Electra

Scaling up for a global market

Attracted by Evolito’s capability, high‑profile programmes around the world are asking for production commitments from the company. In the USA, Electra.aero has chosen Evolito to supply eight electric propulsion units for each of its nine-seat hybrid aircraft. French airship venture Flying Whales has selected Evolito for its cargo platforms, with 32 D250 motors to be installed per airship. And Munich-based VÆRIDION has plans to collaborate with the company on engine development for its regional electric planes.

Each programme represents a different slice of a market forecast to reach $14.5 billion by 2032, driven by the emergence of advanced air mobility, a shift to direct flights in the currently hub-enabled US regional aviation ecosystem and regional decarbonisation goals. Think flying economically, directly from one small town or city to another rather than via a major city hub airport.

Aerospace-grade certification

Evolito has been building the compliance and quality foundations that aircraft manufacturers and regulators demand. In 2023, the UK Civil Aviation Authority awarded Evolito Design Organisation Approval for electric propulsion systems, a regulatory milestone. This approval underscores Evolito’s technical expertise, facilities and ability to meet strict certification requirements, positioning Evolito at the head of its sector.

The company has also secured AS/EN 9100 certification from BSI, the quality‑management standard, together with ISO 14001 environmental‑management certification, combining sustainable operations with its electrification mission. Not only that, but Evolito also achieved ISO 45001 for occupational health and safety management, showing a commitment to workplace safety and continual improvement.

Taken together, these certifications signal that the firm is a reliable partner, ready to support aircraft manufacturers through design, production and certification, not just technology demonstration.

Image credit: FLYING WHALES

Growth and industry recognition

Evolito’s rapid rise has been recognised with several business awards. In 2025, it was ranked third in the hardware section of the Sunday Times 100 Tech 2025, as well as being recognised as the fastest-growing manufacturing and engineering firm at the UK Fast Growth Index 2025. In addition, it was shortlisted as a finalist in three categories at the Aviation Industry Awards UK 2025, reinforcing industry trust and relevance.

These achievements underline the firm’s four core strengths: patented, best-in-class technology; scalability to high-volume manufacture; aerospace-certified products; and a highly experienced, supportive team that draws investor and employee confidence.

Confident investors

Backed by a number of investors who have laid down a significant amount of capital, Evolito has invested in an AI-powered factory with automated processes and robotics, as well as a fully equipped in-house test facility. It has also acquired battery specialist Electroflight to offer integrated powertrain solutions. These developments mean Evolito is now in the final delivery phases of getting its products to market.

Evolito has also benefited from targeted innovation funding that aligns with the UK’s decarbonisation and aerospace competitiveness goals, including aerospace technology institute grants awarded for the development of an electric motor as part of the SONATA (System Optimisation of Non-propulsive energy in Aircraft Taxi technologies and Architectures) and UToPEA (Ultra-high Torque and Power E-motors for Aerospace) projects to support sustainable aviation. These grants demonstrate Evolito’s leadership and underscore its technological edge and strategic alignment with national aerospace R&D.

Evolito: standing apart from the competition

Evolito sends a clear message about the viability of sustainable aviation to aircraft developers, investors and government stakeholders. By combining innovation and aerospace expertise, Evolito has built a motor architecture that achieves high power with low weight, enabling new classes of aircraft and cargo platforms to be built. Recognition from the CAA, BSI certifications and industry awards all validate the company’s technology and business model.

And this achievement has translated into commercial success, with production contracts for Flying Whales and Electra showing that the company is out in front of many rivals on realistic commercial deployment. The company is ready now, with multiple certifications, production contracts and proven scaling capability indicating that Evolito is a reliable manufacturing partner today, not sometime in the future.

For CEO Chris Harris, the mission is clear: “We’re not just building engines; we’re enabling a new era of clean aviation. This is about combining British engineering excellence with global ambition.” As Evolito continues on its current trajectory, the near‑silent hum of engines in its Bicester facility will soon be heard in airports and cargo hubs worldwide. The company has moved from promise to proof, delivering a British success story that looks set to define the early commercial era of electric flight.

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By Jeremy Swinfen Green