Air New Zealand has judged Beta Technologies’ Alia CX300 electric aircraft too small to be cost-effective for its operations and has asked the US manufacturer to look at a larger battery-electric design. Chief executive Nikhil Ravishankar also indicated that even a bigger version would still be limited to short routes, underscoring the narrow near-term role of pure battery-electric aircraft in airline service.
The airline trialled the CX300 earlier this year as part of its next-generation aircraft programme, using the demonstrator on short sectors in New Zealand, including flights around the lower North Island and across the Cook Strait to Blenheim. The aircraft was introduced into the programme last October as Air New Zealand assessed how emerging propulsion technologies might fit its network and ground infrastructure.
The latest view is a setback for the prospect of electric aircraft replacing larger turboprops or jets in mainstream airline operations. Air New Zealand’s long-haul fleet, including the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, remains well beyond the capability of current battery-electric aircraft, even as the carrier continues to examine lower-emissions options for niche regional flying.