Utah Backs Landmark Agreement to Bring Electric Aircraft, Chargers to State

On Tuesday, electric aircraft and charging system developer Beta Technologies and 47G—a coalition of more than 100 members across industry, academia, and government aiming to cement Utah as the headquarters for aerospace companies—signed a landmark agreement to bring electric aircraft and chargers to the state.

The agreement, backed by formal letters of support from the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) and Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, is intended to reshape passenger transport, cargo logistics, medical missions, and more over Utah’s rugged terrain. Beta and 47G will work with the state to pick electric aircraft routes—such as between Salt Lake City and Provo—charging locations, and sites for “future aircraft demonstrations” and pilot training, according to a news release.

“This is the golden age of Utah,” reads a quote from Governor Spencer Cox. “We are at the epicenter for cutting-edge innovations in the commercial aviation industry that will play a critical role in Utah’s economic future. Utah is not just embracing the future of transportation—we are leading it.”

47G told FLYING it will serve as the "voice of industry" for the collaboration, advising public-sector partners who will actually build the infrastructure. Should the governor's budget for fiscal year 2026 be approved, it said, UDOT would award $2 million in funding for a selected company to install electric aircraft chargers at certain airports.

Cox’s office did not immediately respond to FLYING’s request for further information.

"This is a true partnership, so we will be scouting the key charge and route locations together. In fact, we will begin that process later this week," a Beta spokesperson told FLYING. "Ultimately, we defer to 47G and the Utah leadership on what the state, its residents, and its businesses need, and how our capabilities can help bring that to life."

A teaser of the announcement shared by 47G on Saturday features Beta’s Alia conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) aircraft, also called the CX300. The agreement also explicitly calls for Beta chargers. But the partners said they will build infrastructure to accommodate a "wide variety of aircraft dedicated to different use cases" once they are certified by the FAA.

Beta's chargers are aircraft agnostic, meaning any electric model could use them to juice up. Competitor Archer Aviation, for example, purchased them to charge up its Midnight air taxi. Utah also happens to be home to Beta supplier Albany Engineered Composites, Archer supplier Hexcel, and Intergalactic, which makes systems for Eve Air Mobility, the electric air taxi arm of Embraer.

A look at 47G’s members—including drone delivery titan Zipline, which is already flying in Utah, and several others focused on drones—further heightens the intrigue. The agreement was signed at a 47G-hosted event that featured the buzzing aircraft.

“This partnership brings together organizations who all share the vision and collective resources to move Utah into a leading position nationally,” said Aaron Starks, president and CEO of 47G, in Tuesday’s announcement. “Air mobility will eventually change the way people commute, receive life-saving medical supplies, and transport parcels and packages with greater efficiency.”

Beta and 47G emphasized that Tuesday’s agreement is just the first step in Utah’s grander plan. The idea is to phase in the new technology in steps, starting with charging infrastructure before ramping up to electric CTOL and later electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) operations. The latter include the air taxis being built by Archer, Eve, and others.

In 2023, UDOT’s Aeronautics Division released a 58-page blueprint charting the path to integrate electric aircraft, air taxis, drones, and other advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft in the coming decades. The plan does not mention the 2034 Winter Olympic Games milestone announced Tuesday. But it does lay out a comprehensive framework of the infrastructure, policies, and public outreach required to bring AAM technology to the state.

Utah state agencies, including UDOT, the governor’s office, and the Inland Port Authority, are also working with 47G through the Air Logistics Transportation Alliance, or Project Alta. The initiative aims to introduce a range of AAM aircraft by 2034. It is led by Chris Metts, a 31-year FAA veteran, and chaired by former FAA Administrator Michael Huerta.

“Imagine a world where you can hop on an air taxi and travel anywhere along the Wasatch Front in 20 minutes,” said UDOT AAM manager Paul Damron in a May news release announcing Project Alta.

Matt Maass, director of UDOT, on Tuesday sent a letter pledging the agency’s support for Project Alta and said it would provide the “necessary resources and expertise as we work to make this project a reality.”

“We recognize that Project Alta represents a transformative opportunity for the state—one that has the potential to redefine the way it thinks about mobility, infrastructure, and sustainability,” Maass wrote.

AAM manufacturers and policymakers view global events such as the Olympics as potential showcases for the technology—a way to introduce them to the public. The FAA, for example, is working off a blueprint that aims to get the aircraft flying by 2028, in time for the Los Angeles Olympic Games. At the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, German air taxi manufacturer Volocopter intended to ferry passengers between venues, but those plans fell through due to pushback from local officials.

Elsewhere, Boeing air taxi arm Wisk Aero is targeting passenger flights at the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane, Australia, and the city is already developing plans to accommodate them.

Salt Lake City could be the next host city to follow suit.

This story was updated to include comments from Beta and 47G.

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