(Bloomberg) -- Beta Technologies, an electric aerospace company, will expand its footprint in upstate New York, Governor Kathy Hochul plans to announce Friday.
The electric plane maker, which is backed by heavyweight investors including Fidelity Management & Research Co. and Amazon.com Inc., will partner with Clinton County on a $41 million expansion of its existing facility at Plattsburgh International Airport, which is about 60 miles south of Canada.
The announcement comes amid pressure for the transportation sector — one of the largest contributors to US gas emissions according to the Environmental Protection Agency — to slash its carbon footprint. The race to develop environmentally-friendly electric airplanes for broader use has minted a flurry of startups, including Beta. The investment is part of the state’s $1 billion push for zero-emissions vehicles over the next five years as well as cleaner car and truck regulations.
Read more: It’s Boom Times for Startups Trying to Electrify Aviation
“We’ve been developing, flying, and maintaining our electric aircraft at Plattsburgh International Airport since 2017,” Kyle Clark, Beta’s chief executive officer and founder said in an emailed statement. “And in that time we’ve been overwhelmed by the State and County’s support of our vision.”
Beta will create 85 full-time jobs in exchange for a $20 million grant for capital expenses overtime, that goes through Clinton County, from the Empire State Development’s Regional Economic and Community Assistance Program.
The investments will go toward a manufacturing and final assembly hub for Beta’s all-electric aircraft and will establish a center for final flight testing, aircraft painting nd customer delivery.
Read more: Blade, Beta Make First Electric-Vertical Air Flight in NYC Area
In October, the company flew a battery-operated aircraft — designed with fixed wings as well as vertical take-off and landing capabilities — from its Vermont headquarters to Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. The journey of 1,730 miles marked the company’s first product delivery to the US Air Force.
“This expansion of Beta Technologies in Plattsburgh is exactly the kind of growth and innovation that’s supercharging New York’s economy for the 21st Century,” Governor Hochul said in a statement.
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Author: Skylar Woodhouse