Electric Vehicles to Hit the Skies: Air Canada Orders 30 Plug-In Planes, But Only a Few Passengers Can Ride

Western Journal ^ | September 17, 2022 | Mike Landry

[lowbridge]

You still can’t pack a lithium battery in your checked luggage, but by decade’s end you may be held aloft by aircraft engines powered by lithium batteries.

Thursday, Air Canada announced a purchase agreement with Heart Aerospace for 30 of its 30-passenger ES-30 electric-hybrid aircraft it plans to put into service in 2028.

Last year, United Airlines announced the purchase of 100 Heart Aerospace 19-seat all-electric ES-19 planes, and its regional partner, Mesa Airlines (probably better know as United Express), said it was also purchasing 100 ES-19 aircraft, Business Insider reported.

United’s venture capital fund, United Airlines Ventures, joined Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Mesa Airlines in investing in Heart Aerospace, a Swedish startup, with hopes of taking delivery of ES-19 planes by 2026.

Electric planes operate completely on battery power; electric-hybrids feature on-board supplemental generators that use standard aviation fuel.

The electric or electric-hybrid aircraft are envisioned for use in short-haul regional and commuter service. Turboprop planes have long been used in this service but customer demand forced regional carriers to switch to small jets.

Using jets for short hauls is very expensive, according to a Business Insider report from 2020. Electric planes are limited in range, but with lower operating costs than jets, they might be workable in regional service.

That’s apparently the direction Air Canada, United and Mesa are going — electric vehicles for short hauls.

The goal of the ES-19 is a range of 250 miles by the end of the decade. Air Canada said the ES-30 hybrid can fly all-electric 124 miles and 244 miles with its supplemental generators. The range more than doubles to 500 miles if the plane carries only 25 passengers instead of 30.

But here come the problems. First of all, reduction of passenger load on the ES-30 to increase range is

[bondjamesbond]

Now if you had a really, really large aircraft operating in ground effect at relatively low speed, you might be able to make it work.

I did a back of envelope calculation a few years back, and an electric ground effect plane about three times the weight of an A380 on the SF to LA run actually was feasible. It would have to operate over water, though, because it has to fly about 50 feet above the surface to remain in ground effect the whole way.

It would be expensive, but compared to high speed rail, relatively cheap. If you just gotta get from SF to LA in two hours all electric, it is the only way.

[TexasGator]

[from occupied ga]

Probably on the board of an HOA.

[FR_addict]

Now you’re talking!

[Ronaldus Magnus III]

Electric planes. With all the photos of Teslas with gasoline generators, I would hate to be the first ‘customers’ aboard an electric plane. I can see it now: Bring Your Own Gasoline BYOG And what about the battery fires? Will each seat be beside an emergency exit, with parachutes being mandatory?