Electric planes might seem futuristic, but they aren’t that far off, at least for short hops.
Two-seater Velis Electros are already quietly buzzing around Europe, electric sea planes are being tested in British Columbia, and larger planes are coming. Air Canada announced on Sept. 15, 2022, that it would buy 30 electric-hybrid regional aircraft from Sweden’s Heart Aerospace, which expects to have its 30-seat plane in service by 2028. Analysts at the U.S. National Renewable Energy Lab note that the first hybrid electric 50- to 70-seat commuter plane could be ready not long after that. In the 2030s, they say, electric aviation could really take off.
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Small planes are easier to electrify, but larger ones aren’t far behind. Chalabala/istock via Getty Images
That matters for managing climate change. About 3% of global emissions…