At SAS, electric flights are (almost) a thing of the future, and last week the Scandinavian airline opened the first bookings for its 100% electric flights…in 2028.
Electric aircraft, one step closer to becoming a reality
Last autumn, we told you about Heart Aerospace, a Swedish business based near Gothenburg, which was working on a 100% electric jet. While the first test flight was not expected before 2024 and the first commercial flight in 2028, it already had orders from United, MESA Airlines, SAS and Air Canada.
The ES-30 aircraft will initially be capable of flying 200 km in 100% electric mode and 400 km in hybrid mode, and by 2030 will be able to fly 400 km in pure electric mode and 600 km in hybrid mode.
The schedule seems to be on track, since last week SAS marketed seats for its first electric flights on a website dedicated to the occasion.
First flights in 2028, no program for commercial operation yet
These were only seats for the inaugural flights, which will take place at an undetermined date in 2028. The three flights – one to Sweden, one to Denmark and one to Norway – will take place on dates yet to be determined, on routes yet to be determined, and will each carry 30 passengers for a price of 1,946 kroner (167 euros), a symbolic price referring to the airline’s founding date.
All 90 seats were snapped up in record time (the price is only payable 30 days before the flight starts, and there was no deposit to pay).
If, logically, there are no commercial programs to date.This is a further step towards the reality of short-haul electric flight, which is becoming more and more of a reality, even if, in aviation, as long as an aircraft isn’t flying, its market launch date remains hypothetical.
It won’t be the first electric aircraft to fly commercially, however, as Eviation’s Alice, which we mentioned earlier, is scheduled to fly as early as 2027.
Bottom line
SAS is continuing its drive towards net zero emissions by 2050, and electric aircraft seem ever closer to becoming a reality. At a time when the French are fairly ill-informed on the subject and see green aircraft innovations as a far-off prospect, this is salutary proof that, even in proportions that will be modest at first, innovation is well and truly on the way.
What do you think? Do you think electric aircraft will become widespread, at least over short distances? And would you trust such aircraft?
