MONTREAL—Air Canada plans to purchase 30 electric-hybrid aircraft currently being developed in Sweden by Heart Aerospace. The 30-passenger ES-30 regional aircraft, scheduled to enter service in 2028, will generate zero emissions flying on battery power and yield significant operational savings and benefits.

“The introduction into our fleet of the ES-30…will be a step forward to our goal of net zero emissions by 2050," says Michael Rousseau, president and CEO of Air Canada. "Already, [we are] 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.”

The ES-30 aircraft uses four electric motors powered by lithium-ion batteries. According to Rousseau, it will be quieter, have better operational parameters, be more reliable and have a smaller environmental footprint than conventional turbo-prop aircraft. Fully loaded, the plane is projected to have an all-electric, zero-emission range of 200 kilometers, with a charging time of 30 to 50 minutes.

Heart Aerospace’s factory is located in Gothenburg, Sweden. The company has also received an order from United Airlines.