Story at a glance
- United’s venture fund on Tuesday announced it’s investing in electric aircraft startup Heart Aerospace.
- The Swedish company is developing a 19-seat electric aircraft with the capability of flying passengers up to 250 miles.
- The airlines said they expect the new plane, dubbed the ES-19, to kick off service by 2026.
United Airlines plans to buy up to 100 small electric planes that could be used for short flights as the company aims to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions 100 percent by 2050.
United’s venture fund on Tuesday announced it’s investing in electric aircraft startup Heart Aerospace, along with Bill Gates’s Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Mesa Airlines.
The Swedish company is developing a 19-seat electric aircraft with the capability of flying passengers up to 250 miles. The plane has yet to fly, and it will be years before it carries any passengers. The airline said they expect the new plane, dubbed the ES-19, to kick off service by 2026.
Both United and Mesa Airlines agreed to purchase 100 of the ES-19 electric airplanes once the planes meet United’s safety, business and operating specifications.
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“We recognize that customers want even more ownership of their own carbon emissions footprint. We’re proud to partner with Mesa Air Group to bring electric aircraft to our customers earlier than any other US airliner,” Michael Leskinen, United’s Vice President Corp Development and Investor Relations, said in a release.
“We expect the short-haul regional air travel market to play a key role in the evolution of the electric aircraft. As battery technology improves, larger-gauge aircraft should become viable but we’re not going to wait to begin the journey,” he added.
United said the ES-19 could be used for more than 100 regional routes, including flights between O’Hare International Airport and Purdue University Airport or San Francisco International Airport and Modesto City-County Airport.
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