EasyJet has welcomed plans to develop an engine for a proposed 186-seat electric aircraft.
The budget carrier’s US partner Wright Electric is creating components to form the powerplant of the “revolutionary” Wright 1 aircraft.
Wright plans to run ground tests of its motor in 2021 and flight tests in 2023 in a bid to pave the way for a future of zero emissions flights from 2030.
EasyJet chief executive Johan Lundgren said: “This is another crucial step for our partner Wright Electric to move towards the introduction of commercial electric aircraft and it is exciting to see their ambitious timeline for testing and entry into service.
“Battery technology is advancing at pace with numerous US government agencies now funding research into electric aviation– all of these developments help us to more clearly see a future of more sustainable operations.
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“We know it is important to our customers that we operate as sustainably as possible – our carbon offsetting programme has been positively received by our customers and we have now offset more than nine million passenger journeys – but we are clear this is an interim solution until new technologies become available and we can see more clearly than ever a future that is not exclusively reliable on jet fuel.”
Wright Electric chief executive Jeffrey Engler added: “Wright Electric is dedicated to bringing low-emissions 186-seat electric planes systems to market.
“Wright Electric’s mission is to make commercial aviation greener, and our megawatt engine program is the next step in making our mission a reality.”