United Airlines has announced that the company will be buying 100 electric planes from Swedish manufacturer it is investing in.
In an announcement posted on its official website, United Airlines announced the investment in Heart Aerospace, which has been made along with Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Mesa Airlines.
"With this new agreement, United is deepening its bold commitment to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions 100% by 2050 without relying on traditional carbon offsets," the announcement reads.
The purchase is subject to it "meeting the carrier's safety, business, and operating requirements," per a report by Digital Trends.
United Airlines to Buy ES-19 Electric Plane
United Airlines is set to buy 100 of Heart Aerospace's ES-19 electric planes. In the United announcement, the ES-19 is described as a "a 19-seat electric aircraft that has the potential to fly customers up to 250 miles."
The same announcement also says that Mesa Airlines will also purchase 100 electric planes, subject to similar safety and operational requirements as United Airlines.
The electric plane Heart Aerospace is manufacturing makes use of electric motors and batteries instead of jet engines and jet fuel. It can accommodate up to 19 passengers, making it larger than other electric planes that will be available in the market.
Once the ES-19 is operational and has met the requirements United will set, the company plans for it to operate on United Airlines' regional routes.
The regional hubs the ES-19 can operate out of include Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Purdue University Airport and San Francisco International Airport to Modesto City-County Airport, according to the Digital Trends report.
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United Airlines Goes Green and Electric
United Airlines' planned purchase of electric planes is in line with the company's plans to completely reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Hear Aerospace's ES-19 will give passengers "the convenience of flight without contributing to carbon emissions that cause climate change," according to the company announcement.
In 2015, United Airlines announced it was going to power its planes with dung fuel, which was made from animal feces and fats, in an effort by the airline company to be more environment-friendly.
Other Electric Planes in Development
Just like cars, electric seems to be the future for planes as well. Heart Aerospace's ES-19 electric aircraft joins the list of electric planes in development.
Early this year, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced that it is developing its own electric planes. NASA hopes to introduce the electric planes by 2035.
North Carolina-based companies Jet It and Jet Club have likewise announced that they will be manufacturing electric planes. Earlier this month, Eviatian announced that the production model for its Tesla-like electric aircraft has arrived and mass production could soon begin.
This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by Isabella James
