At Farnborough International Airshow, Ecojet signed an agreement to purchase 22 ZA2000 hydrogen-electric engines from ZeroAvia.
This order also includes options to order a further 40 engines at a later date to expand the rollout of carbon-free flights.
ZeroAvia’s ZA2000 engine has been designed to be retrofitted into regional turboprop aircraft with 40-80 seats.
The engines use hydrogen to generate electricity, which then powers propellers to fly the aircraft.
Dale Vince, Founder, EcoJet, said:Ecojet, the world’s first electric airline is on a mission to make net-zero, emission-free air travel possible for the first time. We’ve moved one step closer by signing an agreement to purchase 22 hydrogen-electric engines from ZeroAvia. This is nothing short of a revolution in aviation, the world has just moved a step closer towards a solution to sustainable air travel.
This agreement strengthens Ecojet’s existing commitment to procure ZeroAvia engines, which was announced in November 2023.
It will see Ecojet secure some of the first production slots of ZeroAvia ZA2000 powertrains once they have been certified.
This purchase will advance Ecojet’s mission to become the industry’s first fully electric commercial carrier.
The airline aims to launch services in late 2024 with conventionally powered aircraft, operating routes to and from Edinburgh. It will then retrofit its aircraft once the technology is certified.
Ecojet will first operate zero-emission aircraft with ZeroAvia’s ZA600 engines for planes with up to 20 seats.
It then plans to build a fleet of larger regional aircraft to serve passengers on key domestic and shorter international routes.
Val Miftakhov, Founder and CEO, ZeroAvia said:We really love what the team are doing at Ecojet. Dale speaks powerfully on the future ubiquity of renewable power and is already helping to make that a reality in the UK. Hydrogen-electric aviation can be a big part of that journey, opening up low-cost, efficient and safe true zero-emission transport between UK destinations like never before.
