Flying in Beta Technologies' Alia CX300 showed me why electric planes aren't mainstream yet

tk Beta's electric plane can already fly for hours.

So why aren't paying passengers riding in one yet? The biggest roadblock is hiding under the floor: nearly 3,000 pounds of batteries.

Beta is racing toward a 2027 certification target, but getting airborne may be the easy part.

US airline fares rose almost 24% over the past year, making the prospect of cheaper short flights especially appealing.

One possible solution: electric planes.

For our video series, " The Limit ," I recently took a 25-minute flight on Beta Technologies' Alia CX300.

The journey used about $5.25 in electricity.

A comparable trip in a conventional jet-fuel-powered plane would have cost an estimated 10 times as much in fuel, about $60 Electric aviation has spent decades promising an electric-car-style revolution.

Beyond lower costs, electric planes could make short flights quieter and produce no in-flight emissions.

Now, one Vermont-based company is facing a crucial test.

Beta Technologies is aiming to get its Alia CX300 certified by the Federal Aviation Administration by the end of 2027.

The plane has already flown nearly 400 miles on a charge and stayed airborne for over five hours.

The question is whether those advantages can translate into a viable business.

Other electric-aircraft startups have run into financial trouble after spending years trying to bring aircraft to market.