MONTREAL –
Air Canada has signed an agreement for the purchase of 30 hybrid-electric aircraft currently under development by a Swedish company.
The Montreal-based carrier said in a statement Thursday that the ES-30 regional jet, which will carry 30 passengers, is expected to enter service in 2028.
Air Canada is buying the planes from Heart Aerospace, a Swedish manufacturer of electric planes.
In addition to the electric fleet, Air Canada also acquired a US$5 million stake in Heart Aerospace as part of the deal.
The deal is a step toward Air Canada’s goal of net zero emissions by 2050, the company’s CEO and President, Michal Rousseau, said in the press release.
“Already, Air Canada is supporting the development of new technologies, such as sustainable aviation fuels and carbon capture, to fight climate change,” he said. “We are now reinforcing our commitment by investing in revolutionary electric aircraft technology.”
Air Canada said the plane will be powered by lithium-ion batteries and equipped with standby hybrid generators that can use sustainable aviation fuel.
The airline said the ES-30 should have an electric range of 200 kilometers which extends to 400 kilometers with power supplemented by the generators and 800 kilometers with a reduced capacity of 25 passengers.
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