Connect with us

Published

on

Electric aviation company BETA Technologies has been quietly working on some impressive zero-emissions aircraft technology and is now sharing its achievements with the world. Today, BETA announced plans to produce and certify its CX300 fixed-wing electric plane, which has already flown over 22,000 test miles and undergone evaluation flights for FAA certification. Watch this eCTOL takeoff in the video below.

BETA Technologies is a fully integrated electric aviation system developer based in Vermont that has already made headlines on Electrek with its first aircraft – the ALIA-250 eVTOL. The company has spent years developing electrified versions of its aircraft using what it calls “test articles.”

BETA is unique in that it tests two prototypes simultaneously to capture twice as much performance data at once, focusing on both hovering and wing-borne flight. Speaking of wing-borne flight, BETA Technologies has shared new details of its second aircraft joining its eVTOL, an electric conventional takeoff and landing (eCTOL) plane called the CX300.

With key milestones already achieved, BETA has opened up orders for its fixed-wing electric plane alongside an operation and certification path already in place.

BETA electric plane
Credit: BETA Technologies

BETA’s eCTOL electric plane protoype has flown 386 miles

According to the release from BETA Technologies today, it now intends to certify its CX300 fixed-wing electric plane for customer use and expects to do so in the next two years, opening its order books to customers who are already locking in their reservations.

BETA shared that it has been flying the eCTOL prototype for the past couple of years, hitting several key milestones while simultaneously showcasing encouraging all-electric performance. For instance, the eCTOL has already flown over 22,000 test miles, crossed multiple state lines, and completed qualitative evaluation flights with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Air Force, and Army test pilots.

The company shared that the CX300 is the only electric aircraft to have flown through Class B and C airspace – the busiest in the US. It has also completed the longest series of real-world flights in an electric plane, flying more than 2,000 nautical miles from Plattsburgh, New York, to Bentonville, Arkansas, charging using its own infrastructure along its journey west.

BETA applied for Type Certification with the FAA last year and is now targeting 2025 as the expected timeline for approval, followed by its first electric plane deliveries to companies. That includes new and current customers, like Bristow (which made a deposit-backed order for 50 CX300s with the option for 55 more) and Air New Zealand (which confirmed three eCTOLs with the option to purchase 20 more).

The eCTOLs could serve these aviation companies as all-electric air taxis that can transport passengers and goods across shorter distances – achieving up to 386 miles in the current CX300 prototypes. Final range numbers in the production eCTOLs remain unclear at this time.

BETA explains that the fixed-wing electric plane’s airframe, batteries, propulsion, and systems are the same as the ALIA-250 eVTOL, which is already advancing through the FAA certification process. As a result, the company expects certification to go smoothly.

Furthermore, since the CX300 flies through conventional takeoff and landing methods, the BETA team believes it can be certified under the FAA’s existing rules for airplanes more quickly compared to nontraditional eVTOLs. BETA founder and CEO Kyle Clark elaborated:

We have been flying our eCTOL prototype airport-to-airport for a few years now to drive technological advancements in propulsion and systems, and now we’re seeing that there is a clear market for this product in addition to our eVTOL aircraft. Global operators are looking for practical solutions to help meet their sustainability commitments, and after seeing the cost and performance of this prototype, our customers are eager to integrate it into their fleet. With its known certification and operational path, this aircraft represents an opportunity to get electric aviation into the market, and into the hands of our customers, as quickly as possible.

Looking ahead, BETA Technologies says it will continue the design and certification of the eCTOL electric plane alongside the ALIA-250 eVTOL while it puts the finishing touches on a new production facility in Vermont, where it intends to conduct final assembly. That facility remains on track to begin manufacturing this summer. Watch BETA’s CX300 electric plane take off in the video below.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

Here’s what TSLA analysts are saying about Tesla’s big delivery miss

Published

on

By

Here's what TSLA analysts are saying about Tesla's big delivery miss

Most Wall Street analysts covering Tesla’s stock (TSLA) badly misread the automaker’s delivery volumes this quarter. Some of them have started releasing notes to clients following Tesla’s production and delivery results.

Here’s what they have to say:

According to Tesla-compiled analyst consensus, the automaker was expected to report “377,592 deliveries” in the first quarter.

Tesla confirmed yesterday that it delivered only 336,000 electric vehicles during the first three months of 2025.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

  • Cantor Fitzgerald was the first analyst firm to issue a note after the release. They reaffirmed their overweight rating with a $425 price target. As we previously reported, Cantor has some major conflicts of interest with Tesla and CEO Elon Musk.
  • Truist Securities maintained its hold rating on Tesla’s stock, but it greatly lowered its price target from $373 to $280 a share. They insist that while their earnings expectations have crashed because they overestimated deliveries, investors should focus on Tesla’s self-driving effort, which they see as “much more important for the long-term value of the stock.”
  • Goldman Sachs lowered its price target from $320 to $275 a share. The firm expected 375,000 deliveries from Tesla in Q1 and therefore had to adjust its earnings expectations with almost 40,000 fewer deliveries.
  • Wedbush‘s Dan Ives, one of Tesla’s biggest cheerleaders, called the delivery results “disastrous”, but he reiterated his $550 price target on Tesla’s stock.
  • UBS has reiterated its $225 price target which it had lowered last month after adjusting its delivery expectations in Q1 to 367,000 – one of the more accurate predictions on Wall Street.
  • CFRA‘s analyst Garrett Nelson reduced his price target from $385 to $360 a share.

Electrek’s Take

I find it funny that most of them are maintaining or barely changing their expectations after they were so wrong about Tesla in Q1.

If you were so wrong in Q1, you should expect to be incorrect also for the rest of the year, and readjust accordingly.

But Cantor is invested in Tesla, and the firm is owned by Elon’s friend, who happens to now be the secretary of commerce. Truist still believes Elon’s self-driving lies, Goldman Sachs overestimated Tesla’s deliveries by the equivalent of $2 billion in revenues, and Dan Ives is Dan Ives.

Covering Tesla over the last 15 years has confirmed to me that most Wall Street analysts have no idea what they are doing – or at least not when it comes to companies like Tesla.

Do you know any who have been consistently good lately? I’d love suggestions in the comment section below.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

Fintech stocks such as Affirm, PayPal plunge on concern Trump tariffs will hurt consumer spending

Published

on

By

Fintech stocks such as Affirm, PayPal plunge on concern Trump tariffs will hurt consumer spending

The global market rout on Thursday, sparked by President Donald Trump’s announcement of widespread tariffs, had an outsized effect on fintech companies and credit card issuers that are closely tied to consumer spending and credit.

Affirm, which offers buy now, pay later purchasing options, plunged 19%, while stock trading app Robinhood slid 10% and payments company PayPal fell 8%. American Express and Capital One each tumbled 10%, and Discover was down more than 8%.

President Trump on Wednesday laid out the U.S. “reciprocal tariff” rates that more than 180 countries and territories, including European Union members, will face under his sweeping new trade policy. Trump said his plan will set a 10% baseline tariff across the board, but that number is much higher for some countries.

The announcement sent stocks reeling, wiping out nearly $2 trillion in value from the S&P 500, and pushing the tech-heavy Nasdaq down 6%, its worst day since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.

The sell-off was especially notable for companies most exposed to consumer spending and global supply chains, including payment providers and lenders. Fintech companies that rely on transaction volume or installment-based lending could see both revenue and credit performance deteriorate.

“When you go down the spectrum, that’s when you have more cyclical risk, more exposure to tariffs,” said Sanjay Sakhrani, an analyst at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, citing PayPal and Affirm as businesses at risk. He said bigger companies in the space “are more defensive” and better positioned.

Visa, Mastercard and Fiserv held up better on Thursday.

Dan Dolev, an analyst at Mizuho, said bank processors such as Fiserv are less exposed to tariff volatility.

“It’s considered a safe haven,” he said.

Affirm executives have previously said rising prices might increase demand for their products. Chief Financial Officer Rob O’Hare said higher prices could push more consumers toward buy now, pay later services.

“If tariffs result in higher prices for consumers, we’re there to help,” O’Hare said at a Stocktwits fireside chat last month. Affirm CEO Max Levchin has offered similar comments.

However, James Friedman, an analyst at SIG, told CNBC that delinquencies become a concern. He compared Affirm to private-label store cards, and pointed to historical trends in credit performance during downturns, noting that “private label delinquency rates run roughly double” in a recession when compared to traditional credit cards.

“You have to look at who’s overexposed to discretionary,” he said.

Affirm did not provide a comment but pointed to recent remarks from its executives.

Continue Reading

Environment

Mazda’s $20,000 Chinese EV is about to launch overseas and a new SUV is up next

Published

on

By

Mazda's ,000 Chinese EV is about to launch overseas and a new SUV is up next

Wait, Mazda sells a real EV? It’s only in China for now, but that will change very soon. The first Mazda 6e built for overseas markets rolled off the assembly line Thursday. Mazda’s new EV will arrive in Europe, Southeast Asia, and other overseas markets later this year. This could be the start of something with a new SUV due out next.

Mazda’s new EV rolls off assembly for overseas markets

The Mazda EZ-6 has been on sale in China since October with prices starting as low as 139,800 yuan, or slightly under $20,000.

Earlier this year, Mazda introduced the 6e, the global version of its electric car sold in China. The stylish electric sedan is made by Changan Mazda, Mazda’s joint venture in China.

After the first Mazda 6e model rolled off the production line at the company’s Nanjing Plant, Mazda said it’s ready to “conquer the new era of electrification with China Smart Manufacturing.”

Advertisement – scroll for more content

The new global “6e” model will be built at Changan Mazda’s plant and exported to overseas markets including Europe, Thailand, and other parts of Southeast Asia.

Mazda calls it “both a Chinese car and a global car,” with Changan’s advanced EV tech and Mazda’s signature design.

Mazda-first-EV-overseas
Mazda 6e electric sedan during European debut (Source: Changan Mazda)

Built on Changan’s hybrid platform, the EZ-6 is offered in China with both electric (EV) and extended-range (EREV) powertrains. The EV version has a CLTC driving range of up to 600 km (372 miles) and can fast charge (30% to 80%) in about 15 minutes.

Mazda’s new EV will be available with two battery options in Europe: 68.8 kWh or 80 kWh. The larger (80 kWh) battery gets up to 552 km (343 miles) WLTP range, while the 68.8 kWh version is rated with up to 479 km (300 miles) range on the WLTP rating scale.

At 4,921 mm long, 1,890 mm wide, and 1,491 mm tall, the Mazda 6e is about the size of a Tesla Model 3 (4,720 mm long, 1,922 mm wide, and 1,441 mm tall).

Mazda said the successful rollout of the 6e kicks off “the official launch of Changan Mazda’s new energy vehicle export center” for global markets.

The company will launch a new SUV next year and plans to introduce a third and fourth new energy vehicle (NEV).

Although prices will be announced closer to launch, Mazda’s global EV will not arrive with the same $20,000 price tag in Europe as it will face tariffs as an export from China. Mazda is expected to launch the 6e later this year in Europe and Southeast Asia. Check back soon for more info.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Trending