Electric aircraft could begin operating commercial flights in Europe starting in 2030, especially on short routes, although their entry into the market still depends on technological developments, investment, infrastructure, and regulatory adjustments.
An analysis by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), published by the Spanish news agency Efe, shows that 25% of European flights cover less than 500 kilometers, a distance that could be covered by the next generation of electric aircraft, while hybrid models could reach up to 1,000 km.
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As Tom Taylor, head of civil aviation, maritime transport, and low-carbon fuels at the European Federation for Transport and Environment, electric aircraft technology is advancing “at a rapid pace.”
Specifically for Spain, among the routes that could benefit from these technologies are the connections between the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands and between the Canary Islands, while internationally, routes such as London-Dublin (the busiest air route in Europe), Rome–Sardinia, or Athens–Santorini.
Development is already underway at several European companies, such as VÆRIDION, which is working on a nine-seat electric aircraft with a planned range of 400–500 km and hopes to receive certification for passenger transport in 2030, or AURA AERO, which is developing a 19-seat hybrid-electric model.
Tom Taylor noted in his interview that the main obstacle is not only technological, but also regulatory and economic, as current weight-based airport fees can “penalize” electric aircraft due to the density of their batteries.
“Specific regulatory changes should ensure that these clean aircraft pay a per-seat fee equal to or lower than that of conventional aircraft,” he states, while also calling on airports to provide sufficient electricity and hydrogen to enable their development.
The expert also warns about the so-called “valley of death” in clean aviation—the period during which startups need funding to transition from prototypes to commercial production.
In this context, T&E proposes a specific program under TechEU—the European Investment Bank’s funding program focused on innovation, technological sovereignty, and the EU’s digital and environmental leadership—which could mobilize up to 2 billion euros through co-financing, in addition to providing real-world testing environments to demonstrate the technology to investors.
Source: KYPE
