Enabling flight without the use of fossil fuels wouldn’t be possible if it wasn’t for companies making the many components required for this. While it tends to be the aircraft manufacturers that get most of the credit and media attention, a lot of the biggest innovations come from suppliers. You can think of electric power storage and distribution systems, electric motors, hydrogen fuel cell systems, hydrogen storage solutions and more. The providers listed here specifically develop products for energy storage, distribution and propulsion.
Ampaire

Image credit: Ampaire promotional video
Primary location: Hawthorne, California, United States
Website: ampaire.com
Ampaire develops hybrid-electric powertrains for aviation use. The focus to date has been on experimental conversions of existing aircraft. Pictured here is the Ampaire EEL technology demonstrator which is a converted Cessna 337 Skymaster using one conventional piston engine and one electric motor.
Amprius

Image credit: Amprius press release
Primary location: Fremont, California, United States
Website: amprius.com
Amprius produces batteries with aviation applications as a core focus. As of April 2023, products under development are demonstrated to have energy densities of over 500 Wh/kg. Amprius expertise in producing high energy density batteries resulted in their solution being used on the Airbus Zephyr platform, as well as landing them a partnership with BAE Systems.
Astron Aerospace

Image credit: Astron Aerospace promotional video
Primary location: Derby, Kansas, United States
Website: astronaerospace.com
Astron Aerospace is developing a hydrogen-powered rotary engine primarily but not exclusively for aviation use. The engine being developed today is dubbed the Omega 1 and Astron Aerospace claims a single 16kg / 35lbs engine can produce around 160hp. This would give it about the same power as the popular Lycoming O-320 series of piston engines commonly found on small single engine aircraft, but at a fraction of the weight. The engine can also be connected to additional engines of the same type to produce more power.
Axter Aerospace

Image credit: Axter Aerospace promotional video
Primary location: Madrid, Spain
Website: axteraerospace.com
Axter Aerospace designs electric and hybrid propulsion systems for aviation use. The hybrid system is also pitched as a safety feature; in case the combustion engine fails the electric system can provide sufficient power to safely get the aircraft to a suitable landing site. They also build batteries, battery control systems and other control units.
BAE Systems

Image credit: Heart Aerospace press release
Primary location: Endicott, New York, United States
Website: baesystems.com
BAE Systems is a well known giant the aerospace industry, and their work is expanding into the electric aviation space. Partners in include Jaunt Air Mobility and Heart Aerospace, the battery solution to be provided by BAE Systems for their ES-30 aircraft pictured here. BAE Systems also operates an aircraft electrification lab in Endicott, New York.
CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited; 宁德时代)

Image credit: CATL promotional video
Primary location: Ningde, China
Website: CATL.com
While best known for its automotive batteries, with the April 2023 announcement of the production of a 500 Wh/kg per-cell battery for aviation purposes, CATL is entering a new segment with a product that should be well ahead of what most other battery manufacturers can offer. Production is expected to start towards the end of 2023.
Cuberg

Image credit: Northvolt press release
Primary location: San Leandro, California, United States
Website: cuberg.net
Cuberg develops lithium metal batteries with electric aviation as a key user in mind. Founded in 2015, the company has been owned by Swedish battery manufacturer Northvolt since 2021.
Duxion Motors

Image credit: Duxion press release
Primary location: St. Johns, NL, Canada
Website: duxion.com
Duxion Motors is working to develop hybrid and full-electric jet and turboprop propulsion systems, as well as electric motors for eVTOL aircraft.
Efesto

Electroflight

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
Primary location: Gloucestershire Airport, United Kingdom
Website: electro-flight.com
Electroflight is a supplier of battery systems for aviation use. They developed the battery system for the Spirit of Innovation aircraft that set the speed record for electric aircraft. Pictured here is an earlier concept for breaking a previous speed record called the Electroflight P1e.
Electric Power Systems (EPS)

Image credit: PR Daily Wire / EPS
Primary location: North Logan, Utah, United States
Website: https://www.epsenergy.com/
Electric Power Systems (EPS) develops batteries and control systems with a focus on aerospace applications. It currently offers three different modules for sale with different applications in mind for each and can list big names such as Boeing, Embraer and NASA as their customers.
Emrax

Image credit: Emrax promotional video
Primary location: Kamnik, Slovenia
Website: emrax.com
Emrax develops electric motors and control systems for various uses cases, including aviation. Pictured here is a Pipistrel APIS self-launching glider with an Emrax electric motor in 2013.
Evolito Technology

Image credit: Businesswire / YASA
Primary location: Yarnton, Kidlington, United Kingdom
Website: evolito.aero
Evolite offers electric motors and inverters designed specifically for electric aviation use, be it either fixed wing or VTOL applications. Evolite is a subsidiary of YASA Motors which develops electric motors for automotive use. Their technology was used in the Spirit of Innovation aircraft that set the speed record for electric aircraft and which they partnered on with Rolls-Royce and Electroflight.
Honeywell

Image credit: Honeywell press release
Primary location: Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
Website: honeywell.com
Besides offering a wide variety of electronic systems used in a wide variety of aircraft, Honeywell also offers 500kW and 1MW hybrid-electric systems, building upon their experience gained from developing Auxiliary Power Units (APUs). Honeywell is also developing hydrogen fuel-cell technology and currently offers systems that can power small UAVs.
H2Fly

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
Primary location: Stuttgart, Germany
Website: h2fly.de
H2Fly develops hydrogen fuel-cell technology for aviation use and have already demonstrated their technology in the HY4 demonstrator (pictured). H2Fly has partnered with Deutsche Aircraft who are working to re-introduce the Dornier 328 to build a hydrogen fuel-cell powered version of the aircraft and demonstrate it by 2025. If a hydrogen fuel-cell version of it will actually be offered for sale has not yet been announced. The company was acquired by air taxi developer Joby in 2021 but is still operating as an independent brand.
H3 Dynamics

Image credit: H3 Dynamics / Business Wire
Primary location: Pflugerville, Texas, United States
Website: https://www.h3dynamics.com/
H3 dynamics develops electric powertrains using gaseous or hydrogen fuel cell technology. The system can be used for propulsion in both unmanned drones as well as manned aircraft. H3 dynamics acquired Singapore based HES Energy Systems in 2015.
H3X Technologies

Image credit: H3X Technologies LinkedIn
Primary location: Louisville, Colorado, United States
Website: h3x.tech
H3X develops electric motors for a wide range of use cases, including electric aviation. One concept design that is primarily intended for aviation applications is a modular motor that can be stacked with more motors of the same type to enable use in larger aircraft requiring larger power output. The company is backed by an investment from Lockheed Martin Ventures.
H55

Image credit: H55 media kit
Primary location: Sion, Switzerland
Website: https://www.h55.ch/
H55 develops electric storage and propulsion solutions specifically for the aviation industry. The Bristell Energic, which aims for certification in 2022, is the first production aircraft to adopt their technology.
HyperPower Technologies

Image credit: HyperPower Technologies LinkedIn
Primary location: Perth, Australia
Website: hyperpower.tech
HyperPower builds a variety of electric motors for a wide range of uses such as UAVs, maritime, aviation, motorsports and rail.
HyPoint

Image credit: HyPoint press release
Primary location: Menlo Park, California, United States
Website: hypoint.com
HyPoint develops hydrogen fuel cell systems for aviation use. A specific point HyPoint is attempting improve upon is the weight of hydrogen fuel-cell systems by air-cooling rather than liquid-cooling the system.
IHI Corporation

Image credit: Akita Prefectural University press release
Primary location: Akita, Japan
Website: ihi.co.jp
IHI is a manufacturer of heavy industrial equipment, and as part of that is working to expand their portfolio to include electric aircraft motors. In March 2023 they announced an initial 250kW prototype was developed in partnership with Akita Prefectural University, and expects to scale this up to over 1MW to serve in a hybrid configuration in larger commercial aircraft.
Kite Magnetics

Image credit: Kite Magnetics media kit
Primary location: Victoria, Australia
Website: kitemagnetics.com
Kite Magnetics develops light weight electric motors primarily intended for aviation use, and currently offers 60kW and 120kW models.
MAGicALL

Image credit: Boeing Promotional Video
Primary location: Camarillo, California, United States
Website: magicall.biz
MAGicALL is a provider of a wide range of electronics. Their electric motors are specifically pitched for the use in electric VTOL aircraft and drones and can count big names such as Boeing (their Passenger Air Vehicle concept with MAGicALL MAGiDRIVE motors built together with Aurora Flight Sciences pictured here), Airbus and Bell among their customers.
MagniX

Image credit: MagniX promotional video
Primary location: Everett, Washington, United States
Website: magnix.aero
MagniX develops electric motors and related equipment for aviation use. Their technology is aimed at both new developments as well as retrofits of existing aircraft. It is owned by Clermont Group, who also own nearby Eviation.
MOBIUS.energy

Image credit: newswire.co.kr / MOBIUS.energy press release
Primary location: Tustin, California, United States
Website: mobius.energy
MOBIUS.energy develops batteries primarily for use in electric aviation. They received an investment of 50 million USD in 2021 and created a partnership with Skyworks Aeronautics to power the eGyro they are developing.
Pipistrel

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
Primary location: Ajdovščina, Slovenia
Website: Pipistrel Aircraft
Pipistrel, which was acquired by Textron Aviation, doesn’t just manufacture aircraft, it is also offering its certified electric engine, the E811, for sale to other companies interested in using it.
Rolls-Royce

Image credit: Rolls-Royce promotional video
Primary location: London, United Kingdom
Website: rolls-royce.com
In aviation Rolls-Royce may be best known for their enormous piston engines that powered Second World War fighter aircraft and their high-bypass turbofan engines that power many airliners today. However, Rolls-Royce is also a big player in the electric aviation space, being one of the three parties that together developed the Spirit of Innovation aircraft that set the speed record for electric aircraft and are currently developing an electric regional aircraft together with Tecnam. Rolls-Royce also acquired Siemens’ electric aircraft technology division in 2019.
Saluqi Motors

Image credit: Saluqi Motors product overview
Primary location: Helmond, The Netherlands
Website: saluqimotors.com
Saluqi Motors develops and manufactures electric motors for various transport applications, including aviation. They are involved in a pilot project with AIS Airlines to electrify BAE Jetstream aircraft, as well as being a supplier to VÆRIDION for their Microliner.
SuperOx (СуперОкс)

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
Primary location: Moscow, Russia
Website: superox.ru
SuperOx (СуперОкс) develops various solutions for complex electrical systems, including aerospace applications. Most notably, they’ve developed and tested various electric motors and supporting systems for aviation use in to 50kW to 500kW range and are supporting a project to develop a 1MW motor (the ASuMED project) with various European partners. If this partnership is still alive after the invasion of the Ukraine is unclear at this time. Pictured here is a SuperOx motor fitted to the front of a Yak-40 testbed.
Universal Hydrogen

Image credit: Universal Hydrogen / Business Wire
Primary location: Hawthorne, California, United States
Website: hydrogen.aero
Universal Hydrogen is a developer of hydrogen fuel systems for aviation use. This includes both hydrogen fuel-cell technology and hydrogen burning technology for longer range aircraft. The initial focus is on converting existing turboprop aircraft such as the ATR-72 and De Havilland Canada Dash 8 to hydrogen fuel-cell technology.
VerdeGo Aero

Image credit: VerdeGo press release
Primary location: Daytona Beach, Florida, United States
Website: verdegoaero.com
VerdeGo Aero develops a variety of hybrid-electric powertrains in the 150kW to 1MW+ range, based on both piston and jet engine designs combined with electric propulsion, for civilian and military applications.
Wright Electric

Image credit: Wright Electric / Business Wire
Primary location: Albany, New York, United States
Website: weflywright.com
Wright Electric develops electric propulsion systems primarily but not exclusively intended for aviation use, which includes motors, inverters and cooling systems. Currently, Wright plans to modify BAE 146 aircraft to prove their technology but is also intending to develop their own aircraft, the Wright 1. The motors developed by Wright Electric power relatively small ducted fans which can be packed together in a larger propulsion unit, with multiple motors packed together replacing a single conventional high-bypass turbine.
ZeroAvia

Image credit: ZeroAvia / PR Newswire
Primary location: Cotswold Airport, United Kingdom
Website: zeroavia.com
ZeroAvia develops hydrogen fuel-cell systems for aviation use. In the near-term, ZeroAvia’s emphasis is on converting existing aircraft to use hydrogen fuel-cell technology and is currently working on a conversion of a Dornier 228 turboprop as well as a Dash 8. They also intend to supply the hydrogen fuel-cell powertrain for Otto Aviation’s Celera 500L.