The future of electric flying
How do we make flying with Transavia more sustainable? And how do we reduce our CO2 emissions? To get answers to these questions, we do a lot of research. One part of this is electric flying. That is not yet possible, but by investing in innovations, we are making electric flying accessible to consumers — in the future. Because many experts agree: there is certainly a future in electric flying.
Every day, we work on a more sustainable future for aviation. We see various future scenarios, including electric flying and flying on hydrogen. Curious about what we are doing to achieve this? Check out our sustainability page!
First electric passenger flights
To make electric flying accessible in the future, we are working with experts and startups that are involved in this field. Together with them, our investment fund, Transavia Ventures, looks at innovations that help make aviation more sustainable. We would like to introduce you to Nico Gielen. As investment lead at Transavia Ventures, he keeps an eye on all developments geared towards making the aviation industry more sustainable and is responsible for investing in startups in this field. He also sees potential in electric flying. ‘At the moment, there are no suitable electric airplanes available that we can deploy on a large scale. However, there are many interesting developments underway in the field of electric flying that we are following closely.'It is expected that the first passengers in the Netherlands will be able to take a seat in small electric planes in just a few years. Startup ELECTRON aviation expects to be able to fly completely emission-free to various European cities with what they call airline taxis, which are suitable for four passengers. The Dutch startup Venturi has bigger plans. They are building a super quiet 44-seater electric craft that can fly more than 550 kilometres in just an hour and a half. They expect to deliver the first aircraft in 2029. For shorter flights, there is therefore a lot of potential in electric flying.
Applicability to long-haul flights
Crossing the ocean with an electric plane is not possible for the time being. The batteries needed to provide the aircraft with sufficient energy are currently still too big and too heavy. This is therefore still difficult for long distances. Nevertheless, there are various solutions for making commercial aviation more sustainable. For example, more sustainable fuel for long-haul flights and then switching to shorter electric flights. ‘Such a structure would work well for a destination like Greece, for example,’ says Nico Gielen. ‘We would be able to reduce the total emissions, because one full plane on kerosene and SAF flies to Athens, and the last part of the trip to one of the many islands would be in an emission-free electric airplane.’
Advantages and disadvantages of electric flying
Although the future of electric flying is getting closer, there are still some obstacles to overcome. Long-haul flights are currently impossible, as the battery technology is not that far advanced. And when the appropriate technology exists, it will take years to develop and certify an electric plane. Also, fewer passengers can travel per aircraft.However, it will be able to offer a solution for shorter distances in a relatively short period of time. In this way, not only are we reducing CO2 emissions, but there are also other benefits that contribute to a more sustainable future. Consider shorter runways and less noise. There is also a financial advantage: electric planes are cheaper to maintain and the costs per kilometre are lower.
What are we doing in the field of electric flying?
To make flying with Transavia more sustainable, we are researching various future scenarios of flying. We also invest in startups that are involved in electric flying. For example, Transavia Ventures recently invested in FlyWithLucy: the first electric airline that focuses entirely on electric flying. Together, we are taking steps towards a future where electric flying is accessible to consumers.
We are investing in a future where electric flying is possible. What else are we doing for more sustainable aviation? For example, mixing more sustainable fuel (SAF) with our current fuel. Our goal: to use at least 14% SAF by 2030. Find out what else we do on our sustainability page!