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In this case, the American airline is United Airlines. Alongside Mesa Air Group, a local airline based in Nevada, United Airlines' investment fund is funding a company from Sweden, Heart Aerospace, which is developing the ES-19, an electric aircraft with 19 seats. Just last Tuesday, the investment and purchase agreement for electric aircraft were announced, with United Airlines hoping this FAA-unapproved aircraft will help reduce carbon emissions from the aviation industry. Through this agreement, both United and Mesa will each order 100 electric-powered aircraft from Sweden, provided that the commercialized products meet the requirements of both airlines.
Prior to this, United and Mesa had announced plans to invest in another entity, Archer Aviation, headquartered in Palo Alto, California, to develop and purchase up to 200 electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles with 6 electric engines. At the same time, United has planned to purchase 15 supersonic aircraft being developed by Boom Technology Inc.
All three aforementioned products have yet to undergo test flights, and until they are licensed for passenger transport, it will be several more years. United Airlines anticipates that the Heart Aerospace ES-19 will enter operation by 2026. This aircraft, with its 4 electric fan engines, has a maximum range of about 400km, and United states that there will be around 100 short-haul routes within the U.S. territory that the airline can operate with this aircraft model.
Currently, airlines are facing two challenges. Firstly, the coronavirus pandemic has significantly reduced the number of people choosing air travel as a means of transportation, and secondly, pressure from the environmental protection movement against climate change is forcing many airlines to reconsider the greenhouse gas emissions that traditional aircraft they operate emit into the environment.There is a phenomenon called 'flight shame' because customers do not want to contribute to greenhouse gas emissions into the environment through this very fast and convenient transportation solution. People have become more aware in recent times of the 'cost' that flights have on the living environment of humans. According to the International Clean Transportation Council, commercial aviation currently accounts for about 2% of total carbon emissions worldwide. And this is precisely the moment when commercial aircraft using environmentally friendly electric engines have the opportunity to shine.
However, it will still take some time for the technology to be capable of creating aircraft with the power and capacity comparable to products like the Boeing 737 or Airbus A320. But surely that day will come, when battery technology will enable aircraft to operate longer distances, carrying more people and cargo.On the other hand, for Heart Aerospace, this company not only has the trust and investment from United Airlines but also receives funding from Bill Gates' Breakthrough Energy Ventures, with a $35 million investment from investors. Heart's CEO, Anders Forslund, an aerospace engineer, started this startup in 2018 after hearing Norwegian officials announce that by 2040, all their domestic flights would use electric-powered aircraft. Heart's ES-19 aircraft currently shares battery technology with electric cars, and last year they showcased their new fan engine and propulsion system technology. Besides these two solutions, the ES-19 fully incorporates commercially available technologies developed over many years.Mr. Forslund stated: 'The challenges of developing a new aircraft are never to be underestimated. But the novelty here lies solely in the electric propulsion system. We have created it and successfully demonstrated it.' According to WSJ
