Airline vows to switch to electric planes on short-haul routes by 2030

A UK-based budget airline announced this week that it is “moving fast” toward developing a fleet of electric planes.

EasyJet CEO Johan Lundgren said that the airline is partnering with US manufacturer Wright Electric to switch to electric aircraft for its short-haul routes of less than two hours.

The airline is planning to develop the battery-powered planes, a landmark move in eco-friendly travel, by 2030.

{mosads}“Electric flying is becoming a reality and we can now foresee a future that is not exclusively dependent on jet fuel,” Lundgren said Monday while speaking at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport, according to CNN.

Air travel is widely known to be a significant source of individuals’ carbon emissions, and electric planes even on short flights could help diminish that impact. 

Wright Electric has already developed a two-seater electric jet and is currently developing a nine-seater to fly next year, according to CNN. The company has applied for a patent on an all-electric commercial passenger jet.

Wright Electric CEO Jeffrey Engler predicted that the electric planes will be up to 50 percent quieter and 10 percent cheaper for airlines.

Other airplane companies, including Boeing and Airbus, are working with engineering companies to develop at least partially-electric motors, according to CNN.