New Horizon Aircraft has announced a partnership with Motion Applied, formerly the high-performance technology arm of Formula 1’s legendary McLaren Group. Under the agreement, Motion Applied will design and manufacture a bespoke motor-drive inverter for Horizon’s hybrid-electric VTOL, the Cavorite X7, enhancing power efficiency while reducing the weight of the aircraft’s vertical-lift system. Motion Applied’s renowned expertise, combined with its capability for on-site design, manufacturing, and testing, will support Horizon as it moves towards building its full-scale prototype and advancing its aircraft certification programme.
“How do we ensure our vertical lift system meets our high-performance standards? By partnering with the team that has powered championship-leading race cars for more than 30 years,” said Horizon Aircraft’s Chief Technology Officer, Tom Brassington. “We considered many companies for this partnership, but ultimately it is Motion Applied’s innovation, deep expertise, and ability to rapidly design, manufacture, and test in-house that provides a great advantage.”
McLaren Applied rebranded as Motion Applied in July 2025, having separated from the McLaren Group in 2021. Now operating as an independent Tier One technology provider, the company is committed to setting new benchmarks in precision, reliability, and innovation across emerging sectors, with a strong focus on electrification, motorsport, and connectivity.
Motion Applied delivers a suite of technologies supporting electric vehicle and aircraft development. The Cavorite X7 will integrate a custom air-cooled silicon-carbide motor-drive inverter — converting DC from on-board batteries into AC for the electric motors — based on Motion Applied’s MCU-X platform. Weighing under 3 kg, this advanced system utilises silicon-carbide technology and decades of power-electronics expertise to provide faster, more efficient power transfer with reduced cooling demands. The result is a compact solution delivering significant gains in aircraft efficiency, power density, and range — all vital to the performance of a hybrid-electric VTOL such as the Cavorite X7.
