Air Canada has today signed a purchase agreement for 30 ES-30 electric-hybrid aircraft under development by Heart Aerospace of Sweden. The 30 passenger aircraft will have an electric range of 200 km, which extends to 400 km with reserve hybrid architecture.
On Thursday (September 15, 2022), Air Canada announced the signing of a purchase agreement for 30 Heart Aerospace ES-30 regional hybrid-electric aircraft. The aircraft is currently under development by the Swedish company and will accommodate 30 passengers with an electric range of 200 km, which extends to 400 km thanks to a reserve hybrid architecture. The Heart ES-30 is expected to enter service in 2028 and will generate zero emissions when flying on battery, while yielding significant operational and saving benefits. As part of today’s agreement, Air Canada has also acquired a $5.0 million equity stake in Heart Aerospace.
In Thursday’s announcement, Air Canada’s President and Chief Executive officer, Michael Rousseau, said,
“Air Canada has taken a leadership position in the industry to address climate change. The introduction into our fleet of the ES-30 electric regional aircraft from Heart Aerospace will be a step forward to our goal of net zero emissions by 2050. Already, Air Canada is supporting the development of new technologies, such as sustainable aviation fuels and carbon capture, to address climate change. We are now reinforcing our commitment by investing in revolutionary electric aircraft technology, both as a customer for the ES-30 and as an equity partner in Heart Aerospace.”
Also commenting on the aircraft order, Heart Aerospace’s Founder and CEO, Anders Forslund, said,
“Air Canada is a strategically important partner for Heart Aerospace. The company has one of the world's largest networks operated by regional turboprops, and it is also a progressive, future leaning company especially in the green transmission. With the ES-30 we can start cutting emissions from air travel well before the end of this decade.”
The Heart Aerospace ES-30 will be powered by lithium-ion batteries, and will be quieter, more reliable, and have a smaller environmental footprint compared to conventional regional turboprops. The aircraft will also be equipped with reserve-hybrid generators that can operate on SAF. Fully loaded with 30 passengers, the Heart ES-30 is projected to have an all-electric zero-emission range of 200 km, which can be extended to 400 km with power supplemented by the generators, and up to 800 km if the passenger load is restricted to 25.
Air Canada is Canada’s largest domestic and international airline. The Canadian flag carrier is a founding member of the Star Alliance and the only international network carrier in North America to receive a Four-Star ranking from Skytrax. Air Canada provides scheduled passenger service to 51 airports in Canada, 51 in the U.S. and 86 internationally. Through the carrier’s Aeroplan loyalty program, customers can earn and redeem points on the world’s largest airline partner network of 45 airlines. Air Canada Cargo offers air freight lift and connectivity to hundreds of destinations across six continents with a dedicated fleet of 767-300 Freighters and passenger aircraft belly hold capacity. Additionally, the airline has committed to a net zero emissions goal from all global operations by 2050.
Source: Air Canada/CNW Telbec