Air Canada, the country’s largest air carrier, signed an agreement to purchase 30 electric-hybrid aircraft, scheduled to go into service in 2028..The aircraft, known as the ES-30, will generate zero emissions, flying on battery power and yield significant operational savings and benefits, said Air Canada’s president and CEO Michael Rousseau. . WS POLL: Would you fly on an electric-powered plane? ."Air Canada has taken a leadership position in the industry to address climate change. The introduction into our fleet of the ES-30 electric regional aircraft from Heart Aerospace will be a step forward to our goal of net zero emissions by 2050," said Rousseau, in a release.."Already, Air Canada is supporting the development of new technologies, such as sustainable aviation fuels and carbon capture, to address climate change.” .“We are now reinforcing our commitment by investing in revolutionary electric aircraft technology, both as a customer for the ES-30 and as an equity partner in Heart Aerospace.".The ES-30 will allow Air Canada to serve regional and commuter routes more sustainably, providing low-emission connectivity to local communities over the medium-to-long term, added Rousseau. .Heart Aerospace states that the plane’s cost of maintenance for the electric motors and fuel for the turbo generators will be lower than jet-fuel aircraft. Additionally, the ES-30 will not be subject to the carbon emissions penalties inquired by traditional jet airplanes..Each plane will carry a maximum of 30 passengers, seated three across in a 2X1 configuration, with a galley and lavatory. .No financial details were released..The aircraft will be powered by lithium-ion batteries, and will be quieter, have better operational parameters, be more reliable, and have a smaller environmental footprint than conventional turbo-prop aircraft. It will also be equipped with reserve-hybrid generators that can use sustainable aviation fuel. .Fully loaded, the ES-30 is projected to have an all-electric, zero-emission range of 200 km, which can be extended to 400 km with power supplemented by the generators and up to 800 km if the load is restricted to 25 passengers. .Charging time for the aircraft is expected to be in the range of 30-to-50 minutes..Under the agreement, Air Canada has also acquired a US$5 million equity stake in Heart Aerospace.."Air Canada is a strategically important partner for Heart Aerospace. The company has one of the world's largest networks operated by regional turboprops, and it is also a progressive, future leaning company especially in the green transmission," said Anders Forslund, founder and CEO of Heart Aerospace.."With the ES-30 we can start cutting emissions from air travel well before the end of this decade.".According to Reuters, global airlines are stepping up plans to reduce emissions as they face mounting pressure from regulators and environmental groups over the impact of billions of extra passengers expected to take to the skies in coming decades..Air Canada’s agreement to purchase the electric planes comes after a 2021 deal by U.S. carrier United Airlines to buy 100, 19-seat electric planes from Heart Aerospace.
