Air Canada
Air Canada announced on Thursday that it has ordered 30 ES-30 electric aircraft from Heart Aerospace.
The 30-seater plane can fly up to 124 miles in all-electric mode or up to 500 miles with capacity limitations.
The Swedish manufacturer has already garnered firm orders from United Airlines and Mesa Airlines.
Air Canada is one step closer to becoming a greener company.
The Montreal-based airline announced on Thursday that it has ordered 30 of Heart Aerospace’s ES-30 electric aircraft. Air Canada has also gained a $5 million equity stake in the Swedish manufacturer.
Scheduled to enter service in 2028, the plane will seat 30 passengers in a 2×1 configuration and fly up to 200 kilometers (124 miles) when in all-electric mode.
The range can extend to 400 kilometers (249 miles) when the battery is supplemented by generators and 800 kilometers (497 miles) when the capacity is limited to 25 people, according to Air Canada.
“Air Canada has taken a leadership position in the industry to address climate change,” company president and CEO Michael Rousseau said in a press release. “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.”
The move complements Air Canada’s ongoing decarbonization effort. According to Rousseau, the airline is already developing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and carbon capture to reduce its CO2 emissions.
In April. Air Canada operated four flights from San Francisco to its Canadian bases of Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, and Montreal using SAF, sourced from oil refining company Neste.
Air Canada is the second North American carrier to confirm an order for Heart Aerospace’s electric plane. In July 2021, United Airlines, in partnership with regional partner Mesa Airlines, announced a purchase for 200 ES-19s, which is the 19-seater version. The aircraft is expected to enter service in 2026 — two years ahead of the ES-30.
Several other carriers have also taken interest in Heart Aerospace, like New Zealand’s Sounds Air saying it would have “at least three” ES-19s by 2026. Finnair, Swedish airline BRA, Norway-based Wideroe, Air Greenland, Quebec-based Pascan, California’s Quantum Air, UK newcomer CityClipper, and Scandinavian Airlines have all signed letters of intent for the plane, AIN Online reported.
The interest in electric planes comes as the industry continues to move towards more eco-friendly operations, with global carriers and aviation regulators pushing for net-zero emissions by 2050. On September 8, United announced an order for 200 Embraer Eve electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, while American Airlines placed an order for Vertical Aerospace’s VX4 eVTOL in July.
Delta Air Lines is the only major US airline to not invest in an electric aircraft.