YOUR NEXT PLANE WILL BE A VOLT:

Unlike vertical aircraft, which use much of their battery power to get airborne, Airflow's and Electra's ultra-short takeoff and landing planes are more efficient and thus can carry larger payloads.

They have a series of small electric propellers that rapidly blow air over the wings, creating an aerodynamic technique called "blown lift" that allows takeoff in as little as 100 feet.

That means they can take off or land on warehouse rooftops, parking lots or soccer fields -- runways aren't required, says John Langford, CEO of Electra.

A turbine engine acts as an onboard generator, producing electricity that turns the propellers and can also recharge the battery in flight, meaning longer range flights and less time on the ground for recharging.

What they're saying: Ultra-short takeoff and landing planes have some advantages over vertical aircraft, including larger payloads and a clearer path to certification, says Pitchbook mobility analyst Assad Hussain.

But Hussain and others say there's room for both types of electric aircraft as advanced air mobility takes off.

"There is no right solution to air mobility," Sergio Cecutta, a partner at SMG Consulting, tells Axios.

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