Sydney, Dec 6 (EFE).- Air New Zealand announced Wednesday that it has acquired a fully electric, battery-powered aircraft as part of its goal to reduce carbon emissions.<\/p>
Designed by the American electric aerospace company BETA Technologies, the ALIA CTOL plane is the airline\u2019s first \u201cnext-generation aircraft” and part of its program to launch a commercial demonstrator flight by 2026, in line with its decarbonization agenda until 2050. <\/p>
With the addition of ALIA to the existing fleet, the company said in a statement that it hopes to advance its “knowledge and the transformation needed in the aviation system” of New Zealand, which relies heavily on air transport to connect its cities across its islands, in order to fly larger, next-generation aircraft that can replace the current fleet from 2030.<\/p>
Air New Zealand said it has a firm order for the acquisition of one ALIA and options for two more, as well as rights to purchase another 20 aircraft.<\/p>
Initially, the aircraft will be operated as a cargo-only service in partnership with New Zealand Post, on routes of around 150 kilometers to be announced early next year, although the aircraft has flown more than 480 km on a test flight.<\/p>
\u201cDecarbonising aviation isn\u2019t easy, and we have a lot of work to do. We need to accelerate the pace of change in the technology, infrastructure, operations and regulation,\u201d said Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran.<\/p>
He added that the pioneering purchase of this electric aircraft cements Air New Zealand’s commitment to flying lower-emissions aircraft in New Zealand and marks “a new chapter for the airline,\u201d which aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.<\/p>
Weighing three tons, the plane is about 12 meters long and will fly at a speed of up to 270 kilometers per hour at an altitude of 1,500-3,000 meters. It is expected that a full battery charge will take 40-60 minutes.<\/p>
The aircraft will only be put into service once it has passed testing and is certified safe to fly by the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority, the airline highlighted. EFE <\/p>
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