Surf Air Mobility, a platform for regional air travel, has acquired the hybrid electric aviation technology company, Ampaire. Surf Air expects the addition of Ampaire’s proprietary hybrid electric powertrain technology to be a critical component in its plans to dramatically improve the affordability, accessibility, and environmental footprint of aviation, beginning with regional travel.

“With flight demonstrations and testing already in progress, Ampaire’s hybrid electric powertrain technology brings us closer to the next great shift in air travel: sustainable aviation that’s accessible to everyone,” said Sudhin Shahani, Surf Air Mobility’s co-founder and CEO. “With this advanced technology, we have the opportunity to solve aviation’s biggest problems—operating cost and environmental impact—through electrification. We see the near-term opportunity to transform existing turboprop aircraft across the entire industry as the first step to ultimately extend to fully electric aviation across all trip lengths.”

“Working with Surf Air Mobility will allow us to follow the successful path of hybrid electric automobiles and take that model to the sky more quickly,” said Ampaire CEO Kevin Noertker. “It is our intention to be one of the first to make this technology available at scale on both existing and new commercial routes.”