French aircraft manufacturer and low-carbon pioneer Aura Aero has become a laureate of the France 2030 ‘producing low-carbon aircraft in France’ programme, a national initiative to accelerate the transformation of key sectors in the French economy, through which it has received a 13.2 million euro ($14.13 million) financial contribution.
The France 2030 initiative (launched by the French president in 2021) will invest 54bn euros ($58bn) by 2030 to ‘emerging actors’ contributing the decarbonization of the French economy.
Aura Aero are currently developing a 19-seater electric-propulsion regional aircraft called the ERA, which its manufacturers say offers C02 emissions by up to 80% (compared to thermal aircraft in the same category) and will ‘make regional connectivity viable again’. 500 aircraft have already been ordered from a dozen airlines and operators, representing a total value of 7.5bn euros ($bn).
President and co-founder of Aura Aero Jérémy Caussade described the recognition as “an additional mark of confidence, the proof that our approach is the right one and that our aircraft [can] contribute to decarbonizing aviation”. He added that the support of France 2030, through French public sector investment bank BpiFrance, will enable Aura Aero to accelerate ERA’s development process.