Thu, 18 Sep 2025

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 Electric aviation awaits a battery breakthrough

With batteries still too heavy, start-up plane makers are exploring hybrid options for new aircraft.

* An electric plane, Alia, built by US company Beta Technologies, landed in Bergen, Norway with a cargo load and completed a simulated flight route between Stavanger and Bergen in 55 minutes.
* The plane is designed for cargo operations, can carry up to 560kg loads, and has a range of 400km on a single charge.
* Test flights will continue in Norway as part of the country's efforts to establish low-emission aviation.
* Beta Technologies hopes to get US certification for Alia this year and plans to produce an autonomous version later this year.
* Electric flight is still limited by battery technology, with experts saying a "revolution" in battery chemistry is needed.
* Hybrid planes are being developed as a compromise, using batteries but also carrying fuel for backup power.
* Companies like Heart Aerospace and Electra are working on hybrid-electric aircraft, which could travel 400km or more with passengers.
* Experts say that electric flight will not replace conventional fuels entirely, but rather offer a lower-emission alternative.
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