Air New Zealand is to introduce up to 23 of Beta Technologies’ Alia electric aircraft to its fleet, based on a deal announced on Tuesday with the manufacturer of the conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) model. The agreement covers one firm order, plus options for two more and rights covering an additional 20 aircraft.

The airline intends to use the Alia for cargo service for the New Zealand postal service and plans to announce in early 2024 which two airports will be served in the first phase of operations in 2026. The move is part of Air New Zealand’s wider Mission Next Gen Aircraft decarbonization program, under which it is evaluating other aircraft types, with the Beta vehicle marking the carrier’s first firm purchase commitment.

Beta is also developing an eVTOL version of the five-passenger aircraft, which is expected to complete FAA type certification in 2026. The CTOL model is due to be certified in 2025.

Both aircraft will be manufactured at the company’s newly opened factory in Burlington, Vermont. The FAA refers to the CTOL version of the Alia as the CX300 and the VTOL model as the A250.

According to Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran, initial operations with the Alia aircraft will pave the way to adding larger electric aircraft to its fleet in 2030. The airline spent 18 months evaluating the new model.

“Decarbonizing aviation isn’t easy and we have a lot of work to do,” Foran commented. “We need to accelerate the pace of change in the technology, infrastructure, operations, and regulation. While this aircraft will add to, not replace, our existing fleet, it is a catalyst for that change.”

For Air New Zealand, the Alia is likely to fly sectors of around 150 kilometers (94 miles), and so will likely operate at relatively low altitudes of up to 9,800 feet and speeds of up to 270 km/h. In testing conducted to date, the aircraft has flown more than 480 kilometers in various flights.

Earlier this year, the airline said that it is evaluating around nine manufacturers of electric and hybrid-electric aircraft, as part of plans to eventually replace its fleet of Dash 8 turboprop aircraft. These manufacturers include Embraer, Heart Aerospace, VoltAero, Cranfield Aerospace, and Eviation. 

Beta expects it to take between 40 and 60 minutes to fully recharge the Alia’s batteries. The manufacturer has developed so-called charging cubes that it says can be easily deployed to airports to support network operations.

On December 1, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced funding to support an expansion of Beta’s flight test and delivery center at Plattsburgh International Airport. Under the state’s economic development and community assistance program, $20 million will be issued in a grant via the Clinton County government as a contribution to the $41 million cost of the project, which is expected to create 85 full-time jobs.