BETA Technologies secures order for up to 20 ALIA CTOL electric aircraft from e-Smart Group at Dubai Airshow 2025

BETA Technologies and e-Smart Group (e-SG) today announced a landmark agreement at the 2025 Dubai Airshow for the sale of BETA’s all-electric ALIA CTOL aircraft, marking a major step forward in advancing low-emission air cargo operations across Europe, the UK and the UAE.

Under the deal, e-Smart Group has placed a firm, deposit-backed order for five ALIA CTOL aircraft, with purchase rights for an additional 15, strengthening BETA’s international expansion and supporting e-SG’s strategy to deploy sustainable aviation solutions across key logistics markets.

e-Smart Group—parent company of newly established all-electric operator e-Smart Avia—plans to integrate the ALIA fleet into express, e-commerce, and high-value verticals including medical, life sciences, and AOG (aircraft-on-ground) spare parts. Operations will be focused across the EU, the UK, and the UAE.

Positioned to become one of the first fully electric air logistics operators, e-Smart Group views the partnership as instrumental in enabling airline and logistics customers to expand their premium, time-critical services with faster, more reliable and lower-emission solutions.

Leaders highlight the strategic and environmental significance

Simon Newitt, Head of Global Sales at BETA Technologies, said:
“Our agreement with e-Smart Group marks an exciting step in BETA’s global expansion. e-Smart delivers on a wide-ranging, high-value mission set—from cargo and ecommerce to critical medical goods—which ALIA is uniquely designed to support. We look forward to partnering to bring next-generation logistics and electric aviation to several new territories, and with it a clean, reliable, low-cost operation.”

Stan Wraight, President & CEO of SASIWorld and founding partner of e-Smart Group, commented:
“Introducing cargo operations with electric airplanes is a natural evolution for e-Smart Group, fully aligned with our strategy to exceed client expectations for reliable, fast, time-definite air logistics. The ALIA CTOL aircraft will enable us to deliver low-emission, sustainable, and cost-effective solutions leveraging the latest technology in cargo aviation.”

Jacques Heeremans, owner of IAS Inter Aviation Services and co-founder of e-Smart Group, added:
“We are already seeing strong interest from express and e-commerce clients eager to integrate the ALIA CTOL into their operations. Beyond that, we expect demand for charter and regular movements of special cargo—life sciences, high-value goods, critical spare parts—to grow rapidly.”

ALIA CTOL: Designed for efficient, regional, low-emission transport

BETA’s ALIA CTOL aircraft is engineered for regional missions with a 560-kg (1,250-lb) payload, 5.6 m³ of cargo volume, and a focus on low operating costs and ultra-quiet, zero-emission performance. The aircraft’s capabilities make it highly suited for high-frequency logistics routes connecting major hubs with secondary markets—e-Smart Group’s core operating model as it prepares for entry into service in 2027.

BETA is also building the supporting ecosystem, manufacturing electric infrastructure and deploying a growing international charging network. As of August 2025, more than 50 BETA charging sites were operational across the U.S., with expansion underway in Canada. Last week, BETA announced two new charging locations in Abu Dhabi, marking its first step into the Middle East.

A milestone for electric aviation in Europe and the Middle East

The partnership with e-Smart Group further extends BETA’s customer base into Europe and the Middle East, an essential move toward integrating electric aircraft into complex regulatory environments and diverse airspace systems.

BETA’s ALIA platform is currently undergoing FAA type certification and is designed for all-weather operations, IFR capability, and multiple cargo and passenger use cases, placing the aircraft on track to shape the future of regional, sustainable air transport.