Air Canada has announced to buy 30 electric-hybrid regional aircraft from Sweden’s Heart Aerospace as part of efforts achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
The company said in a news release that the ES-30 regional aircraft will be able to seat 30 passengers and is scheduled to enter service in 2028. The aircraft will also carry a gallery for cabin crew.
As part of the agreement, Air Canada will also acquire an equity stake worth US$5-million in Heart Aerospace.
About ES-30
Air Canada said the planes will be powered by lithium-ion batteries and will have reserve-hybrid generators as well. The generators will use sustainable aviation fuel, the company shared. The ES-30 will have a fully electric zero-emissions range of 200 kilometers, an extended range of 400 kilometers with 30 passengers and the flexibility to fly up to 800 kilometers with a reduced capacity of 25 passengers.
Air Canada targets net zero emissions by 2050
The deal is part of Air Canada’s aim to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, Michal Rousseau, CEO and president of Air Canada said.
“Already, Air Canada is supporting the development of new technologies, such as sustainable aviation fuels and carbon capture, to address climate change,” he said. “We are now reinforcing our commitment by investing in revolutionary electric aircraft technology,” Rousseau said in the news release.
Elaborating the inside configuration of the new ES-30 Heart Aerospace said:
“The ES-30 has a comfortable three-abreast flat-floor cabin seating and it features a galley and a lavatory. Cabin stowage and overhead bins will add to the large external baggage and cargo compartment and provide airlines with network flexibility.”
Heart Aerospace
Heart Aerospace is a Swedish electric airplane startup aiming to create the world’s greenest, most affordable, and most accessible form of transport. The company develops the ES-30, an electric airplane with a standard seating capacity of 30 passengers driven by electric motors with battery-derived energy.