Electric planes take flight in Norway as industry explores greener aviation

An electric plane made by US aerospace company Beta Technologies touched down in Bergen, Norway, earlier this month, completing a 100-mile (160km) flight in 55 minutes on battery power alone. Designed for cargo operations, the Alia can carry up to 560kg (half a tonne) and is part of Norway’s push toward low-emission aviation.

"If you do the drive, it's four and a half hours. And we did the flight in 52 minutes," Pilot Jeremy Degagne told BBC. The flight simulated a planned cargo route between Stavanger and Bergen. 

Karianne Helland Strand, director at Norwegian airport operator Avinor, described the event as "an important milestone for Norway as an international test arena."

Alia has a maximum range of 400km (250 miles) per charge and can recharge in under 40 minutes. It can also be configured for medical transport or passenger travel with up to five seats. In June, it completed the first electric passenger flight into New York’s JFK airport. Beta, which counts Amazon as an investor and UPS as a customer, aims for US certification this year.

"I'm convinced that the next major breakthrough in aerospace will come on the back of electric propulsion. We're now able to significantly lower the operating cost and it's environmentally beneficial from a carbon perspective, " Chief revenue officer Shawn Hall said. 

Electric aviation remains a developing field. The Pipistrel Velis Electro is currently the only fully certified electric plane in Europe, limited to training flights with a range of 185km and 50 minutes’ flight time.

Challenges persist, particularly around battery weight and limited energy density, with expert Guy Gratton noting that batteries have "not improved significantly" in two decades and calling for a revolution in battery chemistry.

Hybrid aircraft are emerging as a practical alternative. Sweden-based Heart Aerospace has developed a 30-seater prototype, the X1, which will be tested in the US.

"You don't need as [many] batteries. For a normal route, it would fly all-electric from takeoff to landing. If you want to go a longer distance, or if there's a diversion, you can switch over to the turbines," Chief technology officer Benjamin Stabler explained.

With hybrid technology, the plane could fly 400km with 30 passengers or up to 800km with 25.

Other companies, including US-based Electra and Beta Technologies, are also pursuing hybrid models.

Shawn Hall said: "Are we excited about hybrid? 100%. It's a way to get longer ranges, today, and you still get a lot of the environmental benefit. A fully electric foundation is necessary first, you then layer on hybrid technology."

Hybrid and electric propulsion could lower emissions and enable quieter urban operations, though greener fuels like sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and hydrogen remain under development.

"This is a really challenging thing to do, electrifying aviation and removing the carbon," Stabler summed up the challenge. 

By Sabina Mammadli