EcoJet Airlines, a Scotland-based startup aiming to pioneer the world's first fully electric passenger airline, has filed for voluntary liquidation after failing to secure necessary funding. The company, founded in 2023, sought to retrofit existing aircraft with hydrogen-electric propulsion systems to cut emissions. Despite ambitious plans for routes starting between Edinburgh and Southampton, it never operated any commercial flights.
EcoJet Airlines was established in 2023 with the ambition of becoming the world's first fully electric airline. The startup focused on adapting conventional airframes with hydrogen-electric propulsion systems, which would produce water vapour as the main byproduct instead of carbon dioxide, aiming to match the performance of traditional engines while reducing aviation emissions.
The company's original plans included launching its inaugural route between Edinburgh and Southampton, with intentions to expand across the United Kingdom and into European destinations. Longer international services were also envisioned as the technology advanced. However, progress was hindered by challenges in developing the propulsion systems, meeting certification requirements, and obtaining sufficient financial resources.
Documents filed with Edinburgh Sheriff Court reveal that the board decided to close the business after unsuccessful efforts to raise approximately $26.8 million in additional capital. As an early-stage venture with limited assets, EcoJet never progressed to commercial operations and did not carry a single passenger, despite earlier announcements of potential domestic flights in 2024.
Shareholders have agreed to cover the costs of the liquidation process, ensuring that employees receive their statutory payments. The closure comes less than three years after the company's founding, marking the end of the project without achieving its goal of introducing low-carbon aviation technologies through retrofitting.
