First commercial electric plane flies 160km: Is the era of petroleum aviation coming to an end?

An electric plane has simulated a cargo flight under real-life conditions for the first time between Stavanger and Bergen airports in Norway, raising hopes for low-emission aviation.

Beta's Alia CX300 electric aircraft - Photo: AERO TIME

The Alia series of small electric aircraft, made by the US manufacturer Beta, flew 160km. The flight lasted 55 minutes, simulating a cargo route in southeastern Norway.

The test was carried out by the Norwegian branch of the Bristow Fabric Company on September 4.

"This is the first time an electric aircraft has flown commercially between Stavanger and Bergen," Karianne Helland Strand, chief executive of airport operator Avinor, told AFP .

The flight was controlled by visual observation, rather than using equipment, to evaluate the potential for integrating electric aircraft into aviation systems and ground infrastructure.

The flight is part of a test phase that will start in August 2025 and run until January 2026. Norwegian regulators are closely monitoring the situation to ensure electric flights can be operated commercially when the technology is ready, expected between 2028 and 2030.

The plane's batteries allow for a maximum range of 400km, enough to make a round trip between Stavanger and Bergen.

Pilot Jeremy Degagne said he was not worried about range, as he always planned within the aircraft's technical limits.

“When you drive an electric car, you can think about driving a few extra miles to get to a charging station, but in aviation you can’t do that. We have the same energy limits as a conventional fuel-powered aircraft,” he explains.

In August 2019, former Avinor CEO Dag Falk-Petersen was forced to make an emergency landing while flying an electric plane in southern Norway due to engine failure. He and a Norwegian government minister on the flight were uninjured.

A pioneer in electric cars and boats, Norway hopes to make a similar name in aviation by experimenting with low- or zero-emission flights.

Aviation accounts for nearly 3% of global CO₂, making it one of the hardest sectors to decarbonise.

THANH HIEN

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/may-bay-dien-thuong-mai-lan-dau-bay-160km-ky-nguyen-hang-khong-xang-dau-sap-cham-dut-2025090610420481.htm