Air New Zealand signed a letter of Intent (LOI) for 23 all-electric aircraft with Eviation Aircraft as a part of its Mission NextGen Aircraft program becoming the first national carrier to lead zero-emission aircraft. Regional flights make up a sizeable proportion of Air New Zealand's routes and the airline feels that all-electric Alice will be an effective way to decarbonize regional aviation.
Gregory Davis, President and CEO of Eviation, said: “New Zealand has earned a proud reputation for its progressive attitude and wide-ranging policies towards the climate challenge. The Alice is a beautiful aircraft that will delight airline operators and passengers. Seeing it soar through the skies of New Zealand is a magical prospect, and I pay tribute to Air New Zealand's commitment to innovation and sustainability."
Eddie Jaisaree, Vice President, Commercial Sales at Eviation, said: “This endorsement from a national flag carrier shows how the Alice has captured the imagination of the marketplace. New Zealand has just experienced its warmest, wettest winter on record. As the impacts of climate change become more apparent and efforts to regulate aviation's carbon emissions intensify, we are excited about how the Alice will help Air New Zealand to lead the airline industry into a sustainable future."
Greg Foran, CEO of Air New Zealand, said: “Mission NextGen Aircraft represents a significant commitment to the development of sustainable aircraft and the supporting infrastructure needed to decarbonise our domestic flights. Eviation's all-electric Alice aircraft is a natural fit for the program with its proven technology that is optimized for short-range flights."
According to Eviation, the nine-seater Alice is the first flight-proven all-electric commuter aircraft powered by two magni650 electric propulsion units developed by magniX and built from a clean-sheet design. Further, the aircraft is cost-effective in terms of per-flight hour as compared to other light jets.