mahrez26
: 08.07.2021
: 23
|
 : 14, 2021 6:19 am : United Airlines is ordering 100 of these all-electric planes |
 |
|
United plans to add 100 all-electric aircraft to its fleet, with the new planes providing short-hop transportation of up to 250 miles. The Heart Aerospace ES-19 is designed to carry up to 19 people, though itll still be a few years yet before it shows up with United livery for regional service.
The ES-19 is one of several superslot different all-electric plane projects in development, though Heart Aerospace believes it has a few key advantages over rivals. For a start its larger than the competition, an important factor when it comes to monetizing short-haul flights.
Its also designed to run on the same sort of battery technology that is used in electric cars, United points out. The airline says it could be used on more than 100 of its current regional routes, out of most of its existing hubs. That could mean an electric United flight from Chicago OHare International Airport (ORD) to Purdue University Airport (LAF), or from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Modesto City-County Airport (MOD).
Before that can happen, of course, Heart Aerospace needs to finish developing the plane. Itll use cash from United Airlines Ventures (UAV) the airlines investment arm along with from Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV) and Mesa Airlines.
Assuming that all works out, and the ES-19 meets all the necessary safety standards and regulations, United will purchase 100 of the planes. Mesa Airlines will also buy 100 for its own fleet. Theres the possibility, the companies say, for the ES-19 to be launched as soon as 2026.
The ES-19 uses an aluminum frame and four electric motors. Each of those motors is about 20 times less expensive than a similarly-sized turboprop, and about 100 times less than a turbofan, Heart Aerospace suggests. Air travel currently contributes around 2-percent of global CO2 emissions, but the plane-maker says that about 9-percent of global emissions are from short haul travel under around 250 miles in general. Thats the category in which the ES-19 is designed to dominate, replacing things like car journeys as much as short-haul turboprop flights.
Zero-emissions arent the only advantage, however. Maintenance costs can be 90-percent lower for electric motors, Heart Aerospace argues, compared to traditional turboprops. Fuel costs drop 50-75 percent. Theres also the potential for electronic systems monitoring, which can proactively spot potential servicing issues, and trim inspection requirements. |
|
