in 2027, electric air taxis will fly 5 people on-demand between EU cities in under 2 hours

Electron Aviation and twente airport target on-demand flights

In the current air travel landscape, airlines can determine the flight schedule and destinations. Dutch startup ELECTRON Aviation breaks the ceiling by offering a flight system where passengers have the freedom to choose when and where they fly. To further its goal, the CEOs of Twente Airport and ELECTRON Aviation have partnered to start operating zero-emission flights using electric air taxis from Twente Airport in 2027. By bringing in ELECTRON aviation, Twente Airport strengthens its position as the airport for battery-electric flying in The Netherlands.

‘We chose to do this with a pure battery-electric aircraft for two reasons: Firstly, it delivers on our goal of zero direct CO2 emissions. Secondly, it offers the lowest operating costs, which will allow us to eventually match the price of an Economy class ticket and in other countries even train tickets,’ says Josef Mouris, CEO + Co-Founder of ELECTRON aviation. ‘Imagine flying at the time of your choice directly from Twente Airport to anywhere within a radius of 500 km. To be clear, that gets you to Berlin, London, or Paris, all in under 2 hours.’

images courtesy of ELECTRON Aviation and Twente Airport

Traveling up to 500 km on a single charge

Neatherlands-based ELECTRON Aviation is working on creating an aircraft powered by batteries. The electric air taxi can carry up to 5 passengers and travel a distance of 500 kilometers without needing to recharge the batteries. By optimizing the aircraft size, the design team can ensure efficient operations and tailored experiences for their passengers. The electric air taxi is targeted not to produce any CO2 emissions and planned to be introduced as an on-demand regional transportation service in 2027 and an on-demand plane at the Twente Airport.

The Twente Aiport in the Netherlands provides an ideal setting for electric air taxis given its distance from the neighboring major European cities. Jan Schuring, CEO of Twente Airport, says that ‘from a recent survey of local businesses in the Overijssel / Enschede-Twente region we know that there is the need for improved connectivity – both within The Netherlands as well as cross border travel to Germany, France, or the UK. The identified travel patterns fit well within the range of the aircraft proposed by ELECTRON aviation.’

from Twente Airport, the electric air taxi can fly to Berlin, London, or Paris in under 2 hours

Electron 5 as the electric air taxi

The aircraft flying the passengers take shape in Electron 5, an airplane with panoramic windows, larger than commercial planes to immerse passengers in scenic views, and quadruple redundant motors with dual engines at the rear to guarantee safety on flight. Upon entering, first-class seating greets the passengers with armchairs typically found in luxury sports cars. Movable rows of seats are also present to arrange the space to the passengers’ liking.

For specs buffs, the electric air taxi is expected to cruise at 10,000 feet at 300 km/h and a range of 750 km, enough to cover 85% of regional routes in Europe. Since it is an on-demand flight, the electric air taxi is dubbed to only fly when the passengers book a short-haul trip using a dedicated app. Gerben Groothuis, eFlight Business Development Manager at Twente Airport explains that ‘we will be developing an airport-in-a-box concept. Think of repurposed containers that can be used by multiple operators, enabling a faster and effortless passenger experience.’

the aircraft can carry up to 5 passengers and travel a distance of 500 kilometers on a single charge