United Airlines aims to start flying on routes that are less than 200 miles in electric planes. In a video interview with CNBC’s ESG Impact Conference, Mike Leskinen, the company’s president, said that as technology improves, planes will have a range of up to 300 miles.
In order to meet its 2050 carbon emissions reduction goals, United has placed an order for 100 electric aeroplanes from Heart Aviation, as well as 200 flying taxis from Eve Air Mobility. These are part of the company’s efforts to become more sustainable.
According to Anders Forslund, the founder of Heart, the company’s planes are working to get certified by 2028. United Airlines will also start using electric aircraft by 2030. Leskinen noted that Denver International Airport and Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport are some of the key markets where the first generation of aircraft will be sold.
