EcoJet Airlines, startup berbasis Skotlandia yang bertujuan mempelopori maskapai penerbangan penumpang sepenuhnya listrik pertama di dunia, telah mengajukan likuidasi sukarela setelah gagal mengamankan pendanaan yang diperlukan. Perusahaan yang didirikan pada 2023 itu berupaya memodifikasi pesawat-pesawat yang ada dengan sistem propulsi hidrogen-listrik untuk mengurangi emisi. Meskipun memiliki rencana ambisius untuk rute mulai antara Edinburgh dan Southampton, perusahaan itu tidak pernah mengoperasikan penerbangan komersial apa pun.
EcoJet Airlines didirikan pada 2023 dengan ambisi menjadi maskapai sepenuhnya listrik pertama di dunia. Startup ini fokus pada penyesuaian bingkai pesawat konvensional dengan sistem propulsi hidrogen-listrik, yang menghasilkan uap air sebagai produk sampingan utama alih-alih karbon dioksida, bertujuan menyamai kinerja mesin tradisional sembari mengurangi emisi penerbangan. 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.
