ZeroAvia today announced that it has signed an agreement with newly launched airline Ecojet for up to 70 hydrogen-electric, zero-emission engines.
Ecojet – which aims to become the flag carrier for green Britain – says that it will begin operations in 2024 with conventionally powered aircraft operating routes to and from Edinburgh, before converting its fleet to become what it aims to be the world’s first electric airline. The airline claims it will achieve its goal by retrofitting its aircraft with ZeroAvia’s ZA600 engines once certified.
“Ecojet will be working with MONTE, ZeroAvia’s preferred ZA600 lessor partner, in bringing this groundbreaking technology to market” according to the press release. “ZeroAvia is targeting type certification of the ZA600 engine in 2025.
“The newly launched airline has also placed a larger order for the more powerful ZA2000 engine, designed for up to 80 seat regional turboprops and with an entry-in-service target of 2027. This will open up the potential to fly aircraft such as the ATR72 and Dash 8 400, already popular on regional routes across the world.
“ZeroAvia, Ecojet and MONTE will work together with airports and other industry partners, to identify and finance the first pathways to hydrogen-electric commercial operations. ZeroAvia analysis shows that, if powered by UK wind generated green hydrogen, domestic flights would have lower lifecycle carbon emissions per passenger than any other common mode of transport today, including fully occupied cars, domestic rail and coach travel.
“In June, ZeroAvia announced that it had signed a definitive purchase agreement with lessor MONTE for 100 engines. MONTE will provide financing for Ecojet’s powertrain purchase, installation and operation, meaning that Ecojet will become the lessors first confirmed customer, and recipient of their currently reserved production slots with ZeroAvia.
“ZeroAvia recently completed a program of 10 test flights of a prototype of its ZA600 for the Dornier 228 aircraft at its UK base in Kemble, Gloucestershire. In May, the company unveiled its testbed aircraft for testing the ZA2000 engine, a Dash 8 400 76-seat plane provided by Alaska Airlines, as well as announcing rapid progress in developing the core technologies for flying these larger aircraft.”
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(Image: ZeroAvia)
