I have an idea about all the activity in electric aircraft.
It’s like the brewing industry. Over the years, pretty much all the breweries have been bought up by something like 5 multinational conglomerates. They tend to make the same mass appeal product. In the last few years, a new industry of craft brewers has begun to appear. The justification? They claim to produce a more interesting, better tasting beer. It is not that hard, or expensive, to set up a small brewery. Over time, some will succeed in a modest way (as compared to the conglomerates), many will fail, and others may grow enough to be acquired by one of the conglomerates.
In the aircraft industry, we have two major players, Boeing and Airbus. Each makes the same kinds of airliners. It is very expensive to try and come up with a competing product, which would be pretty much the same as what Boeing or Airbus makes, so what’s the point? Now, a new justification comes along: “We must electrify to save the environment”. A bunch of small players start up, because it isn’t that hard to design and build at least a prototype. Over time, some may succeed in their niche market, many will fail, and if anyone solves the secret of making a long range, workable electric airliner, Boeing or Airbus will buy them.
Most of the rest of this is hype and PR. Companies want good PR, so claiming you are doing something for the environment is believed to be good for business, even if nothing really comes of it.