EcoJet Airlines, ett Skotland-baserat startup som siktade på att pionjära världens första helt elektriska passagerarflygbolag, har ansökt om frivillig likvidation efter att ha misslyckats med att säkra nödvändig finansiering. Bolaget, som grundades 2023, ville omdela befintliga flygplan med vätgas-elektriska framdrivningssystem för att minska utsläppen. Trots ambitiösa planer för rutter mellan Edinburgh och Southampton flög det aldrig några kommersiella flyg.
EcoJet Airlines grundades 2023 med ambitionen att bli världens första helt elektriska flygbolag. Startupen fokuserade på att anpassa konventionella flygkroppar med vätgas-elektriska framdrivningssystem, som skulle producera vattenånga som huvudbiprodukt istället för koldioxid, i syfte att matcha prestandan hos traditionella motorer samtidigt som utsläppen inom flyg minskades. 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.
