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Swedish Battery-Electric Aircraft Selected by a Major Airline

You know that saying, “New year, new me”? In the case of this major airline, it’s more like “New decade, new me.” Air New Zealand wants to flaunt a brand-new regional fleet starting 2030. And it looks like that will include an all-electric model developed by the Sweden-based Heart Aerospace.
The ES-30 will transport 30 passengers using a battery-electric propulsion system 7 photos
Photo: Heart Aerospace
ES-30 Electric AircraftES-19 Electric AircraftES-30 Electric AircraftES-30 Electric AircraftES-19 Electric AircraftES-30 Electric Aircraft
Air New Zealand dreams of becoming the first to officially introduce green flights in the country. It plans to take things one by one, which means focusing on regional flights in the beginning. At the moment, the Dash 8 Q300 airliners in its fleet, alongside ATR aircraft, are covering the operator’s regional routes. But Air New Zealand wants to breathe new life into this regional fleet.

This major renewal project has a cool name – Mission Next Gen Aircraft. But the most interesting part is that we’re not talking about one aircraft that will replace the aging fleet, but of multiple alternatives and approaches.

ATR will bring its upgraded aircraft concept, called the ATR EVO, designed to be 100% compatible with SAF (sustainable aviation fuel). Embraer will showcase the innovations of an entire new family of aircraft named Energia, based on various types of clean propulsion. Universal Hydrogen will retrofit the existing regional airliners with its efficient hydrogen solution. Last but not least, Heart Aerospace will focus on the niche segment of battery-electric aircraft.

Air New Zealand is working with all of these partners, each with a different perspective on the future of green flights. It will certainly be interesting to see what will be the outcome of such a multifaceted project. But that won’t be too soon, as the airline intends to put the new fleet to work only in the next decade.

Back to Heart Aerospace, the sustainable alternative that it proposes is an all-electric 30-seater called the ES-30. In fully-electric mode, it claims to offer a range of around 200 km (124 miles) with 30 passengers on board. That range can be doubled or even go up to 800 km (497 miles) by reducing the passenger number and switching to hybrid-electric propulsion.

The ES-30 isn’t here yet. It’s gearing up to kick off commercial operations by 2028, just in time for Air New Zealand’s grand renewal. But there’s a smaller brother already enjoying success.

The ES-19, coming up in 2026, has been selected to join United’s fleet. Fitted with a 400 kW electric motor and a state-of-the-art Garmin G3000 integrated flight deck, the ES-19 is ready to change regional aviation. A 250-mile (400 km) range is just the beginning.

As battery technology continues to evolve, Heart’s all-electric aircraft will also have more to bring to the table. Although it will take some time, we’ll someday hear about them connecting regions in New Zealand.
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About the author: Otilia Drăgan
Otilia Drăgan profile photo

Otilia believes that if it’s eco, green, or groundbreaking, people should know about it (especially if it's got wheels or wings). Working in online media for over five years, she's gained a deeper perspective on how people everywhere can inspire each other.
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