GHG Emissions, Industrial  -  April 1, 2021

Finnair Plans for Electric Fleet

Finnair has signed a letter of interest with Heart Aerospace, a Swedish sustainable aviation company, which could lead to the acquisition of up to 20 of its 19-seater electric aircraft for use on the airline’s shortest haul routes.

The airline explained in a blog post that these planes could be part of the toolbox of new technologies to help Finnair meet its goal to be carbon neutral by 2045.

Two years ago, Finnair joined the Nordic Network for Electric Aviation (NEA), which has four key goals: standardizing electric air infrastructure in the Nordic countries; developing business models for regional point-to-point connectivity; developing aircraft technology for Nordic weather conditions, and creating a platform for European and global collaborations.

“When developing a completely new type of aircraft, you need partners, such as airlines and airports, to ensure that the whole ecosystem develops in line with the aircraft. Needs throughout the value chain are considered at an early phase,” said Anne Larilahti, Head of Sustainability at Finnair. 

“We have worked closely with the NEA but getting this commitment from Finnair is really important,” said Anders Forslund, CEO and Founder of Heart Aerospace. “The big challenge of building an electric aircraft isn’t just in the technology, but also building the momentum to create a project like this and building it all the way.”

Larilahti noted that the Nordic region’s cold weather makes it the perfect place to pioneer electric aviation technology. “Our cold climate has an impact on batteries and operating a light plane. If we know how to do it here, it’s easier to do it elsewhere.”

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