Vertical Aerospace Expands Manufacturing Footprint and Updates Financial Outlook for Electric Aircraft Production

Vertical Aerospace, a global aerospace and technology company pioneering electric aviation, has announced the establishment of its first manufacturing facilities to support certification and early production of its VX4 electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft. The company revealed plans for aircraft assembly at an expanded Cotswold Airport site, where a new facility adjacent to the existing Flight Test Centre will have capacity to produce more than 25 VX4 aircraft annually, bringing Vertical's total footprint at Cotswold Airport to approximately 100,000 square feet.

The company also secured battery production capabilities at an expanded Avonmouth site, where a new 30,000 square foot battery facility will triple capacity for battery production. This facility will provide production capacity into 2030 and brings Vertical's total Energy Centre footprint to approximately 45,000 square feet. Locating both facilities alongside existing operations reduces integration risk, drives efficiency, and enables a seamless ramp from prototype through certification and initial production aircraft.

Vertical Aerospace reaffirmed its plan to certify the all-electric VX4 by 2028, requiring $700 million in funding to reach this milestone. The company's focused OEM business model, low operating costs relative to the industry, efficient manufacturing plans, and greater clarity of supplier costs enable this projected certification timeline. The collaborative approach of the UK Civil Aviation Authority and European Union Aviation Safety Agency, who are working together on eVTOL certification safety standards, front-loads the certification process and minimizes late-stage surprises or delays.

The company provided updated financial targets for 2030 and beyond, reflecting momentum over the past year and increased certainty around supplier and manufacturing plans. Vertical now projects at least 175 aircraft delivered cumulatively by 2030, compared to prior guidance of at least 150. Manufacturing run-rate is expected to exceed 225 units per annum by the fourth quarter of 2030, versus prior guidance of over 200-unit per annum run-rate, with plans to scale to target annual aircraft deliveries of 900 in 2035.

Vertical is on track to complete transition testing, the final stage of its piloted flight program, by the end of 2025 and will begin hybrid-electric flight testing in 2026. Transition testing will demonstrate the VX4's ability to shift seamlessly between vertical lift and wingborne flight, a 20-second piloted maneuver that represents the defining capability of tiltrotor eVTOLs. Completion of this testing will mark a major technical achievement and a key de-risking milestone on the path to certification and revenue generation.

The company's revised financial outlook includes consolidated gross margin of 20% in 2030, rising to approximately 40% by 2035, and over $100 million positive operating cash flow in 2030, compared to prior guidance of breakeven. These improvements reflect the company's progress in manufacturing planning, supplier cost certainty, and the integration of hybrid-electric technology into its business strategy.