An all-electric plane capable of carrying 100 people may be available within six years, significantly accelerating the timeline for the introduction of a nonkerosene powered commercial airliner.
U.S. startup Wright Electric Inc. plans to retrofit electric motors into a BAe 146 regional aircraft originally manufactured by BAE Systems PLC, replacing its four jet engines and transforming it into a zero-emissions model.
Wright plans to build a fleet of the converted planes, which will have a range of about one hour or 460 miles, while using the revamped model — renamed the Spirit —as a stepping stone toward a previously planned clean-paper aircraft a few years later, Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Engler said in an interview.