A United Airlines passenger jet takes off with New York City as a backdrop, at Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey, U.S. December 6, 2019. REUTERS/Chris Helgrensaid on Tuesday it would buy 100 19-seat ES-19 electric planes from Swedish start-up Heart Aerospace, as the U.S. carrier eyes battery-powered aircraft for regional routes.
The U.S. carrier's venture funding arm said in a release it is also investing an undisclosed amount in the company with Bill Gates' Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Mesa AirlinesUnited would not disclose the value of the order, which is conditional on the aircraft's meeting safety, business and operating requirements.
United could use the aircraft to connect hubs like Chicago O'Hare International Airport to smaller routes. Some of these routes have been cut by legacy carriers because they are too expensive. He sees the aircraft, which generate zero operational emissions, as a stepping stone toward larger planes.
Fingers crossed, but this may not be as good an idea as it sounds:
And do what with them?