Electric planes: how they work, who's building them, and what's coming

Aviation accounts for around 2.4% of global CO2 emissions — and the industry is under pressure to change. Electric planes are no longer just a concept: the first EASA type-certified all-electric aircraft is already operating across Europe, and dozens of manufacturers are racing to bring electric passenger services to market by the end of this decade. This article covers how electric planes work, what the technical specs look like today, which models are already flying, and what passengers can realistically expect in the years ahead.

What is an electric plane?

An electric plane is an aircraft powered by electricity rather than conventional aviation fuel. Most electric aircraft use electric motors to drive propellers, powered by battery packs stored onboard.

There are three main types:

• Fully electric — powered entirely by onboard batteries
• Hybrid electric — combines a battery-powered motor with a conventional combustion engine
• Hydrogen-electric — uses hydrogen fuel cells to generate electricity onboard

Each comes with different trade-offs in range, weight, and infrastructure requirements. Fully electric aircraft are currently limited to smaller, shorter-range operations. Hybrid and hydrogen-electric configurations are seen as the more practical path to regional and commercial scale.

How do electric planes work?

The core principle is similar to an electric car. A battery pack stores electrical energy, which powers one or more electric motors. Those motors spin propellers or fans to generate thrust.

Key components of an electric propulsion system:

• Battery pack — stores energy; lithium-ion is the current standard
• Electric motor — converts electrical energy into mechanical rotation
• Motor controller — manages power delivery, speed, and efficiency
• Cooling system — handles heat generated by the motor and batteries
• Power electronics — converts and regulates voltage across components

Here is where some of the leading aircraft stand today:

According to Airbus, hybrid configurations can already reduce fuel consumption by up to 5% compared to a standard flight.

Are electric planes already in commercial use?

Yes — but on a limited scale. Here is where things actually stand.

Pilot training and light aviation

The Pipistrel Velis Electro is the clearest milestone so far. Manufactured in Slovenia, it holds full EASA type certification as an all-electric aircraft, as well as UK CAA certification. It is actively used for pilot training across Europe, approved for Day VFR operations.

This makes it the first genuinely commercially operational all-electric aircraft under European aviation regulation — not just a prototype on a test track.

Regional and experimental operations

The ZeroAvia Dornier 228 is a 19-passenger aircraft converted to run on a hydrogen-electric engine. It has been completing flights since 2023 and is one of the closest examples to a small commercial electric aircraft in active use. ZeroAvia plans to make a fully electric aircraft available by the end of 2026 and introduce an 80-seat, 700-mile-range aircraft by 2028.

The Eviation Alice completed its first public flight in April 2023 — an eight-minute trip at 3,500 feet from Washington's Grant County International Airport. A nine-passenger aircraft with zero direct emissions, it targets short regional routes.

What is not commercially available yet

Large passenger jets — the type most people fly on — are not yet electric. No fully electric aircraft currently operates scheduled commercial passenger routes carrying more than around 19 passengers. That remains a near-future goal, not today's reality.

Who is building electric planes?

Several major manufacturers and well-funded startups are pushing electric aviation forward, particularly in Europe.

Airbus is one of the most active. Its EcoPulse distributed hybrid-propulsion demonstrator completed over 100 hours of test flights across 2023 and 2024, developed in partnership with Daher and Safran with support from France's civil aviation authority (DGAC). Airbus has also signed a research agreement with Renault Group to accelerate electrification, and a separate agreement with STMicroelectronics on next-generation semiconductors for hybrid and electric aircraft.

Rolls-Royce set the world speed record for an all-electric aircraft in 2021. Its Spirit of Innovation reached 555.9 km/h (345 mph), powered by a 400kW electric powertrain — a proof point for what electric propulsion can deliver at the performance end of the spectrum.

Heart Aerospace (Sweden) is developing the ES-30, a 30-passenger hybrid-electric regional aircraft. All-electric range is 200 km, extending to 800 km in hybrid mode. The company completed its first fully electric flight in 2025.

Elysian is working on the E9X — a fully electric 90-passenger aircraft with a 1,000 km range. A full-scale prototype is planned for testing by 2030.

Wright Electric, in partnership with easyJet, is developing a 186-seat all-electric passenger jet with an 800-mile range. It targets entry into service around 2030.

ZeroAvia focuses on hydrogen-electric propulsion and is among the most advanced in near-term regional aircraft, with a clear commercial roadmap into the late 2020s.

What are the main technical challenges?

The biggest constraint holding electric aviation back is battery energy density.

Jet fuel stores roughly 43 MJ/kg of energy. Today's best lithium-ion batteries store around 0.5–0.9 MJ/kg — a gap of roughly 50 to 1. Batteries capable of matching jet fuel for a large aircraft would be extraordinarily heavy.

Research from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) puts it plainly: a regional narrow-body aircraft would require approximately nine times the battery capacity of what current technology can provide. For wide-body long-haul aircraft, that figure rises to 20 times.

The practical implications for aviation today:

• Fully electric aircraft are limited to short routes of around 150–500 km
• Battery weight can represent up to 60% of an electric aircraft's total weight on longer routes
• Charging infrastructure at airports is largely absent and will require substantial investment
• New aircraft certification typically takes five to seven years

Hybrid and hydrogen-electric approaches help bridge the gap, but full electrification of large commercial aviation is a long-term prospect, not an imminent one.

When will electric planes carry passengers commercially?

Passengers on short regional routes in Europe are most likely to see electric aircraft first. Routes under 500 km — London to Edinburgh, Amsterdam to Brussels, or similar short city pairs — are the primary target for first-generation commercial electric services.

For longer routes, hybrid aircraft will arrive before fully electric alternatives. EASA is actively developing certification frameworks for hybrid and electric propulsion, and the EU's aviation decarbonisation agenda is pushing European manufacturers to accelerate.

Urban air taxis (eVTOLs) may arrive even sooner. Vertical take-off and landing aircraft are closer to market than fixed-wing passenger jets, aimed at short intra-city journeys. Archer Aviation, for example, has already received FAA airworthiness certification for its eVTOL aircraft.

For the majority of commercial aviation, conventional jet fuel remains the standard for now. If your flight was delayed by more than three hours, cancelled with less than 14 days' notice, or you were denied boarding, you may be entitled to compensation. Check your eligibility with Flight Delayed.

FAQ

Are there any fully electric commercial passenger planes flying today?

Not on scheduled commercial routes with large aircraft. The Pipistrel Velis Electro is the only EASA type-certified all-electric aircraft and is used for pilot training. Smaller aircraft like the ZeroAvia Dornier 228 (hydrogen-electric, 19 seats) are flying but not yet on mainstream commercial passenger schedules.

When will electric planes carry passengers on regular routes?

The most optimistic timelines point to small regional electric aircraft entering service between 2026 and 2030. Larger electric jets are unlikely before the mid-2030s at the earliest. Hybrid-electric configurations are expected to appear on commercial routes sooner, reducing emissions on existing aircraft types.

How far can electric planes fly?

Current fully electric aircraft have a practical range of roughly 150–500 km. Hybrid and hydrogen-electric configurations extend this significantly — the Heart Aerospace ES-30 targets 800 km in hybrid mode. Full electrification of long-haul aviation is decades away with current battery technology.

Are electric planes certified in Europe?

Yes, at small-aircraft level. The Pipistrel Velis Electro holds full EASA type certification — the first all-electric aircraft to achieve this — and is also certified by the UK CAA. EASA is developing certification frameworks for hybrid and more powerful electric propulsion as the technology matures.

Are electric planes quieter than conventional aircraft?

Yes, considerably. Electric motors produce far less noise than jet or turboprop engines. This is one of the key practical advantages for urban air mobility and could allow aircraft to operate from airports in more densely populated areas, or during hours currently restricted for noise reasons.