Air New Zealand has ordered an electric aircraft from Amazon-backed startup Beta Technologies as part of its plan to use a cleaner, new-generation aircraft for commercial flights in more than two years.
Beta Technologies' battery-powered aircraft is understood to have flown up to 500 kilometers (310 miles) in tests in the same way as a regular jet. Air New Zealand said on Wednesday it plans to use it for short-haul cargo flights in 2026, paving the way for its regular domestic routes to begin in 2030 with larger, new-generation aircraft.
The global aviation industry is now scrambling to find a way to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, after more than half a century of almost unlimited jet fuel burning. Electric aircraft are an option to reduce emissions from short-haul flights, although the technology is not yet suitable for long-haul flights that generate most of aviation emissions.
It is worth mentioning that Air New Zealand has the option to purchase two more ALIA aircraft from Beta and has the right to purchase an additional 20 aircraft. Another version of the aircraft can take off and land vertically like ***.
The airline plans to use Alia aircraft for the first time on a route of about 150 kilometers. The aircraft is just over 12 meters long, can fly at speeds of up to 270 kilometers per hour, and its battery is expected to be fully charged in less than an hour.
This article is from: Zhitong Finance and Economics.