Air New Zealand is advancing its goal of introducing electric aircraft into its fleet with the announcement of a technical demonstrator programme using the battery-electric ALIA CX300 aircraft from April 2025. Manufactured by US partner BETA Technologies, the aircraft will be used to evaluate its performance in New Zealand conditions before commercial operations commence in 2026.
The ALIA CX300 will initially be based at Hamilton Airport for a series of proving flights, with operations gradually expanding to surrounding airports and Wellington. These flights will replicate the planned cargo route between Wellington and Blenheim, set to launch in 2026 in partnership with New Zealand Post. Bringing the aircraft to New Zealand a year ahead of commercial service allows Air New Zealand to refine operations, train pilots and familiarise crews with the technology.
Kiri Hannifin, Air New Zealand's Chief Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Officer, highlighted the significance of this milestone in achieving the airline's net-zero carbon emissions target by 2050. “We're so thrilled to be moving into the next generation of aviation. This future is one where we can fulfil our purpose to connect New Zealanders but with a much lower emissions – something we are deeply committed to expediating as quickly as we can to help meet our 2050 net-zero carbon emissions target. The technology behind this aircraft is incredible, and we're very proud to be able to bring it to Aotearoa a little earlier to show the country what the future of domestic air travel will look like,” Hannifin said.
BETA Technologies' founder and CEO, Kyle Clark, praised Air New Zealand's proactive and collaborative approach, noting that the programme will provide critical data and operational insights to ensure smooth integration of the electric aircraft.
To support the programme, Air New Zealand has invested in 60kW mobile chargers, which will be located at Hamilton, Wellington and Blenheim airports. These chargers can fully recharge the aircraft in approximately 90 minutes.
