Electric planes to ply domestic routes by end of 2020s

Finavia, the operator of airports in Finland, has joined a Nordic initiative to enhance the development of electric aviation.

The Network for Electric Aviation (NEA) is a unique initiative, where Nordic actors come together to accelerate the introduction of electric aviation in the Nordic countries, said an official press release.

“Electricity-powered aircraft will likely be a vital part of tackling the environmental challenges of the aviation industry. As an airport operator, we want to find out what kind of development electric flying will require from our airports,” said Finavia Technical Director Henri Hansson.

Project manager Maria Fiskerud

Since 2018, Finavia has been funding a fully electric aircraft that had a successful test flight at Malmi Airport in Helsinki in summer 2018. Joining the NEA is the next step in contributing to the development of electric flying and a part of Finavia’s climate programme which aims at decreasing CO₂ emissions at the airports.

Hansson said, “I believe that in Finland, the first electric passenger aircraft will fly on a domestic route by the end of 2020s. If a clean method, such as wind or solar power, is used to produce the necessary electricity, the electric aircraft of the future could fly completely emission-free. Electric aircraft will be suited especially for short routes.”

“NEA is a Nordic network that works with both infrastructure, industry issues and new business models. We aim at highlighting the necessary aspects needed to provide credible roadmap towards Nordic electric aviation”, said Maria Fiskerud, project manager for NEA.

NEA consists of partners such as Nordic airport operators, Nordic airlines and start-ups specialized in electric aviation. The first network meeting was held in Östersund, Sweden, in December 2019. The work of the NEA is funded by Nordic Innovation, an organization under the Nordic Council of Ministers.